Traffic Stop Results in Burglary Arrests
Last month, twenty year-old Jacob Hurst of Tazewell, TN and his nineteen year-old female companion were arrested as suspects in connection with multiple burglaries that had recently taken place in Claiborne County after a routine traffic stop and ensuing vehicle search uncovered a significant amount of cash and other valuables that were believed to have been taken during the robberies. Apparently, a full-scale investigation was launched into the robberies after the evidence was uncovered during the stop and the authorities now believe that Mr. Hurst and his companion were responsible for the slew of robberies. The robberies are now considered “solved” according to reports.
Routine traffic stops often lead to more serious charges when officers conduct a search of the interior of a vehicle. Vehicle searches often lead to evidence being uncovered of offenses such as drug possession and sometimes, as here, uncover evidence of felony offenses such as burglary. The discovery of such evidence puts the defendant in a very difficult situation, but not a situation that is hopeless. An experienced criminal defense attorney may be able to examine the circumstances surrounding the discovery of the evidence and have that evidence suppressed at trial.
For evidence of a crime uncovered by a vehicle search to be admissible in court, the traffic stop and ensuing search must both have been legal. In Tennessee, that means that the police officer must have had reasonable suspicion that the driver was engaging in, or was about to engage in, some sort of illegal activity (this encompasses all forms of illegal activity such as speeding or driving with no seatbelt). Once the stop is initiated, the officer must have probable cause to search the vehicle unless the driver consents to the search. This consent must be voluntary and cannot have been coerced or a product of police intimidation. Tennesseans who have found themselves charged with a crime as a result of such a search should contact a skilled East Tennessee criminal defense attorney for assistance in fighting the charges.
Source: http://www.wbir.com/news/local/story.aspx?storyid=128882&odyssey=obnetwork
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