A Wisconsin man is facing criminal charges in Anoka County after police say he used a license plate registered to a different vehicle in an apparent attempt to avoid paying Minnesota vehicle registration taxes.
According to a criminal complaint filed in Anoka County District Court, Timothy Eric Anderson, 39, of Hudson, Wisconsin, is charged with motor vehicle registration – intent to escape tax, a gross misdemeanor, along with two misdemeanor counts of driving after revocation and operating an uninsured vehicle.
The complaint states that around 12:14 p.m. on October 16, 2025, a Coon Rapids police officer patrolling near the Northtown Mall service drive and University Avenue Northeast in Blaine ran a random license plate check on an Audi sedan. The plate came back registered to a Chevrolet and displayed no registration tabs.
The officer conducted a traffic stop and identified the driver as Anderson. A records check revealed his driver’s license had been revoked. When questioned about the plate, Anderson reportedly said he had purchased the vehicle in February but had not yet been able to obtain a title or register it.
Police later determined the plate belonged to a company called Tim’s Turbo, where Anderson worked. Investigators believe Anderson intentionally placed the plate on the Audi to avoid paying vehicle registration taxes and fees. Anderson was also unable to provide proof of insurance for the vehicle.
Anderson was arrested and booked into the Anoka County Jail. Judge Karin McCarthy signed an order of detention on October 17, 2025, ordering he remain in custody pending further proceedings.
If convicted, Anderson faces up to one year in jail and a $3,000 fine on the gross misdemeanor charge, in addition to potential penalties for the driving and insurance violations.
The case was investigated by the Coon Rapids Police Department and prosecuted by the Blaine City Attorney’s Office.
