FI RST DI VI SI ON

BA RNES, P. J.

, M C M I LLI A N and M ERCI ER, JJ.

N O T IC E : M otions for r e c ons i de r a tion m us t be

ph y sic a l ly r e ce iv ed i n our c le r k ’s offic e w ithin te n

da y s of the da te of de c is ion to be de e m ed tim e ly file d.

http://w w w .ga a ppe a l s .us /r ule s

Febr uar y 16, 2018



# I n th e Co u r t o f

A p p eals o f

G eo r g ia

A1 7 A1 83 3 . THE STATE v . M CCLOUD.

B A R N E S , Pres i d i n g J ud g e.

Ro v ert o Mc C l o u d w as ch arg ed w i t h p o s ses s i o n o f co cai n e, p o s s es s i o n o f a

fi rearm d uri n g t h e co m

m is s i o n o f a t h at fel o n y

, p o s ses s i o n o f a fi rearm b y a co n v i ct ed

fel o n , an d fai l u re t o h av e h i s d ri v er’ s l i cen s e o n hi s p ers o n wh i l e o p erat i n g a m o t o r

v eh icl e. M cCl o u d fi l ed a m o ti on to s u p p res s t h e dru g an d g u n ev i d en ce, w h i ch t h e

t ri al co u rt i ni ti al l y d en ied

, b u t up o n reco n s i d erat i o n, g ran t ed

. Th e St at e ap p eal s fro m

t h at o rd er an d co n t en ds t h at t he t ri al co u rt erred i n fi nd i n g t h at t he o ffi cer’ s search o f

M cCl o ud was u n reas o n ab l e u n d er t h e Fo urt h Am en d m en t b ecau s e h e was n o t u n d er

arres t at t h e t i m e o f t h e s earch

, b u t m erel y d et ai n ed

. Up o n o u r rev i ew, an d fi n d i n g

t h at t h e s earch was l aw f

u l

, we rev ers e t h e t ri al co urt ’ s g ran t o f M cCLo u d ’ s m o t i o n

t o s u p p res s

.

Up o n o u r rev i ew o f a tri al co u rt ’ s ru l i n g o n a m o t i o n t o s u pp res s

, we are g u i d ed

b y t h ree p ri n ci p l es ;[f] i rs t

, wh en a m o t i o n t o s u p p res s i s h eard b y t h e t ri al j u d ge, t h at j u d ge

s i ts as t h e t ri er o f fact s. T h e t ri al ju d g e h ears t h e ev i d en ce, an d h i s

fi nd in g s b as ed u p o n co n fl i ct i n g ev i d en ce are an al o g o u s to t h e verd i ct o f

a ju ry an d sh o u l d n o t b e d i s t u r b e d b y a rev i ewi n g co urt i f t h ere i s an y

ev i d en ce t o s up p o rt t h em

. Seco n d, th e t ri al co u rt ’ s d eci s i o n w i t h reg ard

t o q u es t i o n s o f fact an d cred i b i l it y m us t b e accep t ed u n l es s cl earl y

erro n eo us

. Th i rd

, t h e rev i ewi n g co u rt m u s t co n s t ru e t h e ev id en ce m o s t

fav o rab ly t o t h e u p h o l d i ng o f t h e t ri al co u rt ’ s fi n d i n g s an d ju d g m en t

.

(Pu n ct u at i on o m i t t ed .) Br own v. S t a t e

, 2 9 3 G a. 7 8 7

, 8 0 3 (3 ) (b ) (2 ) (7 5 0 SE2 d 1 4 8 )

(2 0 1 3), q u ot i ng Mi l l er

v. S t a te , 2 8 8 Ga. 2 8 6 , 2 8 6-2 8 7 (7 0 2 SE2 d 8 8 8 ) (2 0 1 0 ).

So v i ewed

, t h e ev i d en ce, as t es t i fi ed t o b y t h e o n l y wi t n es s at t h e m o t i o n to

s u p p re s s h eari n g

, d em o n s t rat es t h at a pat ro l o ffi cer wi t h t h e At l an t a Po l i ce

Dep art m en t ob s erv ed a “ p ret t y b ad ” t wo car acci d en t an d s to p ped t o i nv es t i g at e an d

as s i s t t h e v i ct i m s. Each car was o ccu p i ed b y t wo p as s en g ers

, an d McCl o u d w as i n t h e

d ri v er’ s s eat o f o n e o f th e cars

. M cCl o u d t o l d t h e o ffi cer t h at h i s wal l et was at h o m e

an d t h at h e d id n o t h av e h i s d ri v er’ s l icen se. Th e offi cer as k ed M cCl o u d t o s t ep o ut

o f t h e car, t h en h an d cu ffed M cCl o u d “ t o d et ai n h i m

. . . b ecau se [t h e o ffi cer] n eed ed

t o fi gu re o u t ev ery t h i ng th at was g o i n g o n i n t h e s i t u at i o n .” Th e o ffi cer t es t i fi ed t h at

h e ro u ti n el y

h an dcu ffs i n d iv id u al s wh o d o n o t h av e t h ei r d ri v er’ s l i cen s e, “ b ecau s e

2o f t h e n at u re o f [h i s ] as s i g n m en t ” an d co n fi rm ed t hat h e d o es s o t o d et ai n t h em u n t i l

h e “ can fi n d o u t wh o [t h ey ] are.”

Th e o ffi cer tes ti fi ed t h at al t h ou g h t h ere was p ro b ab l e cau s e t o arres t McCl o u d

fo r “ n o t h av i ng [h i s ] d ri v er’ s l i cen s e [o n h i s p ers o n],” M cCl o u d was o n ly d et ai n ed

at t hat po i n t “ t o i d en t i fy wh o h e was .”

Reg ard i n g th e en co u n ter, t h e o ffi cer t es t i fi ed t h at

[M cCl o u d ] s e em ed a l i tt l e t en s e ab ou t t h e wh o l e s i t u at i o n

. It ki n d o f

m ad e m e n erv o u s

. W e h ad a co n v ers at io n ab o u t wh at was

– wh y was he

b ei n g s o t en s e. He rel ax ed

. I p u t h i m i n han d cu ffs an d m o v ed h i m t o th e

car. W h en I g o t t o t h e v eh i cl e, as p er ou r s t a n d ard

, befo re y o u p u t an y

p ers on i n a v eh i cl e, y o u fri s k t h em i n ci d en t t o p l aci n g t h em i n t he b ack

o f t h e v eh i cl e. Pl u s

, t h e n at u re o f t h e area, it ’ s a v io l en t cri m e area, l o t s

o f in ci d en t s i n m

y k n o wl ed g e, t rai n i n g an d ex p eri en ce t h at o ccu r i n t hat

area. So I fri s k ed h i m fo r weap o n s

. U p o n f r i s k i n g h im fo r weap o n s

, I

fel t an o b ject th at w a s im

m ed i at el y reco g n i zab l e as a b ag g y o f s o m e

s o rt

, cal l ed co n t rab an d

. I s ei zed t h at i t em

. It en ded u p b ei ng 1 0 g ram s o f

p o wd er co cai n e.

Th e b ag g y was l o cat ed i n “ o n e o f [M cCl o u d ’ s ] p o ck et s

. A cco rd i n g t o t h e

o ffi cer’ s t es ti m o n y

, “ a t t h i s p oi n t [M cCl o u d] was u n d er arres t

. I [h ad ] ju s t s ei zed

n arco t i cs fro m h i s pers o n

. So I wen t ah ead an d d i d a co m p l et e, t h o ro ug h s earch

b efo re p u t t in g hi m i n t h e v eh i cl e.” Th e o ffi cer ret ri ev ed a l o ad ed .2 2 cal i b er m ag azi n e

3fro m M cCl o u d ’ s p o c k e t an d

, d u ri n g h i s s u b s eq u en t s earch of M cCl o u d ’ s v eh i cl e

“ i n ci d en t t o arres t as wel l as im p o u n d fro m t h e acci d en t, b ecau se i t was n o t d ri v ab l e

. . . l o cat ed a .2 2 cal i b er h an d g u n m i s s i n g i t s m ag azi n e . . . i n t h e cen ter co n s o l e.”

M cCl o u d fi l ed a m o ti o n t o s u p p res s th e d ru g an d g u n ev i d en ce, w h i ch aft er a

h eari n g

, t h e t ri al co u rt d en i ed

. T h e t ri al co u rt d et er m i n e d t h at t h e s earch o f

M cCl o ud ’ s p ers o n an d car “ were l awfu l ” b ecau s e “ [a] t t h e t im e [M cCl o u d ] was p ut

i n h an d cu ffs an d s earch ed

, p ro b ab l e cau s e ex i s t ed fo r an arres t o n t h e t raffi c vi o l at i o n

o f d ri v i ng wi t h o u t a l i cen s e.” M cCl o u d fi led a m o t i o n to reco n s id er, aft er wh i ch

, t h e

t ri al co u rt g ran t ed M cCl o u d’ s m o t i on t o s u p p res s t h e d ru g an d g u n ev i d en ce.

In rev ers i n g it s p ri o r d i s p o s i t i o n , t h e t ri al co u rt fo un d t h at t h ere

was p r o b a b l e cau s e.

. . t o arres t [M cCl o u d ] wh en h e fai l ed t o p ro d u ce

h i s l i cen s e.

. . [b ut McCl o u d ] was n o t i n f a ct p l aced un d er arres t at t hat

ju n ct u re. In s t ead t h e o ffi cer, i n h i s d i s cret i o n

, ch o s e n ot t o arres t

[M cCl o u d ] an d i n st ead m erel y i n ten d ed t o t em p orari l y d et ai n h i m u nt i l

h i s i d en t i fi cat i o n co u l d be o bt ai n ed an d t h e o ffi cer fu rt h er in v es t i g at ed

t h e co l l i s i o n

. T h ere f

o r e

, t h e Co u rt s h o u l d h av e an al y zed t h e pat -d o wn

as a Ti er 2 search

. Th e C o u rt fi nd s t h e t em p o rary d et ai n m en t an d

h an d cu ffi ng of [M cCl o u d ] w as l awfu l

. Ho wev er, th ere i s n o ev i d en ce

t ah t [t h e o ffi cer] reas o n ab l e b el i ev ed [ M c C loud] was arm ed o r p res en ted

a dan g er t o t h e o ffi cer o r o t h ers w h en h e co n du ct ed t h e Ti er 2 p at -d o w n

.

. . . [A] n au t o m at i c p o l i ce p ro ced u re o f p at ti n g do wn p ers o ns b ei n g

4d et ai n ed i n a p o l i ce car d o e s n o t m ak e an u n co n s t i t u ti o n al s earch

co n s t i t ut i o n al . (Em

p has i s i n o ri g i n al ).

On ap p eal

, t he S t a t e c o nt en d s t h at t h e ex i s t en ce o f p ro b ab l e cau se t o arres t

M cCl o ud fo r d ri v i n g w i t ho ut h i s d ri v er’ s l i cen s e in h i s i m m ed i at e p o s s es s i o n

ren d ered t h e s earch a v al i d s earch i n ci d en t t o an arres t . W e ag ree.

Po l i ce o ffi cers are “ au t h ori zed t o arres t [a d efen d an t ] fo r t h e co m m i s s i o n o f a

t raffi c o ffen se i n t h ei r p res en ce.” Ri d g ewa y v. S t a t e

, 2 0 5 Ga. A p p

. 2 18 (4 2 2 SE2 d 4 )

(1 9 9 2). 1 OCGA § 1 7 -5 -1 fu rt h er au t ho ri zes an o ffi cer, aft er m ak i n g a l awfu l arres t

,

t o s earch t h e d efen dan t ’ s p ers o n an d t h e area wi th i n h i s im m ed i at e p res en ce fo r t h e

p u rp os e o f p ro t ect i n g the of f icer fro m at t ack

, p rev en t in g t h e d efen d an t fro m es cap i n g,

o r d is co veri n g o r s ei zi n g t h e fru i t s o f t h e cri m e o r an y art i cl es u s ed i n t h e co m m i s s i o n

o f t h e cri m e.

If, wh en a r r e s t is m ad e, t h e fact s an d ci rcu m s t an ces k no wn t o t h e arres t i n g

o ffi cer are s u ffi ci en t t o warran t a p ru d en t p ers o n in b el i ev i n g t h at t h e accu s ed h ad

1 “ Ev ery li cen s ee s h al l h av e h i s o r her d ri v er’ s l icen s e i n h i s o r h er i m m ed i at e

p o s s es s i o n at al l t i m es wh en o perat i n g a m o t o r v eh i cl e.” OCGA § 4 0 -5 -2 9 (a). An d

“ [e] v ery l i ce n s e e s h a l l d i sp l ay h i s o r h er l icen s e u p o n t h e d em an d o f a l aw

en fo rcem en t o ffi cer. A refu s al t o co m p l y w i t h s u ch d em an d n o t o n ly s h al l co n s t i t u t e

a v i o l at i o n o f t h i s s u bs ect io n b u t s h al l al s o g i v e ri se t o a p res u m p t i o n o f a v i o l at i o n

o f s u b s ect i on (a) o f t hi s Co d e s ect i o n an d o f Co d e Sect i o n 4 0 -5 -2 0 .” OCGA § 4 0 -5

-

2 9 (b ).

5co m

m i t t ed o r is co m

m it t i n g an o ff

e n s e

, t h e warran tl es s arres t p as s es co n s t i t u t i o n al

m u st er. Ca l l a wa

y v. St a t e

, 25 7 Ga. 1 2 , 1 3 -1 4 (2 ) (3 5 4 SE2 d 1 1 8 ) (1 9 8 7). “ Becau s e

t h e st an dard fo r p ro b ab le c a u s e d ep en d s o n w hat a reas o n ab l e o ffi cer co ul d h av e

co n cl u d ed fro m t h o s e fact s an d ci rcu m s t an ces , t h e s t an d ard o f p ro bab l e cau s e i s an

o b ject i ve o n e, an d t h e su b

j ect i v e t h i n k i n g of t h e act u al o ffi cers in a p art i cu l ar cas e i s

n o t i m p o rt an t .” Hu g h es v. S t a t e

, 2 9 6 Ga. 7 4 4

, 7 4 9 (2 ) (7 7 0 SE 2 d 6 36 ) (2 0 1 5 ). “ Th e

ex i s t en ce o f p ro b ab le cau s e au t ho ri zes a s earch i n ci d en t t o arres t

. . . ev en i f an o ffi cer

b e l i e v e s t h at h e i s

, at t h e m om en t t h e s earch i s u n d ert ak en

, d et ai n i ng rat h er t h an

arres t i n g t h e p ers o n s earch ed .”(Ci t at i o n s an d p u n ct u at i o n o m i t t ed .) C o n ey v. S t a t e

,

3 1 6 Ga. Ap p . 3 0 3 , 3 0 7 (3 ) (a), (b ) (7 2 8 SE2 d 8 9 9 ) (2 0 1 2 ). See S t a te v. Ha r g i s , 2 9 4

Ga. 8 1 8, 8 2 4 (2 ) (7 5 6 SE2 d 5 2 9 ) (2 0 14 ) (“ Th at t h e o ffi cer s t i l l w i s h e d t o m o re

d efi n i t i v el y i d en t i fy Harg i s

, an d t h at t h e o ffi cer d i d n ot t el l Harg is u n t i l a few

m o m en t s l at er t h at h e w a s u n d er arres t

, do es n ot ch an g e t h e fact th at H arg i s was

u n d er a r r e s t fo r t h e p u rp os es o f t h e Fo u rt h Am en d m en t at t h e t i m e t h at t h e o ffi cer

d i rect ed h i m fro m t h e t ru ck an d h an d cu ffed h i m .”); Ha r vey v. S t a t e

, 2 6 6 Ga. 6 7 1

, 6 7 2

(4 6 9 SE2 d 17 6 ) (1 9 9 6 ) (“ res o l u t i o n o f t hi s cas e u l t i m at el y i s d ep en d en t u p o n

w h e t h e r

, a t t h e t i m e o f [t h e] arres t

, t h e o ffi cer h ad p ro b ab le cau s e t o m ak e t h at

arres t .”)

6“ Al t h ou g h we o we s u b s t an t ial d eferen ce t o t h e way i n wh i c h t h e t ri al co u rt

res o l ved d i s p u t ed q u es t i o ns of m at eri al fact

, we o we n o d eferen ce at al l t o t h e t ri al

co u rt wi t h res p ect t o q u es t i o n s o f l aw, an d i ns t ead

, we m u s t ap p l y t h e l aw ou rs el v es

t o t h e m at eri al fact s .” H

u gh es

, 2 9 6 Ga. at 7 5 0 (2 ). In d oi n g s o, we fi n d i n t h i s cas e

t h at n o t wi t h s t an di n g t h e o ffi cer’ s s u b ject i v e b el i ef t h at h e was det ai n i n g rat h er t h an

arres t i n g M cCl o ud w h en h e was h an d cu ffed

, fo r pu rp o s es of t h e Fo u rt h Am en d m en t

,

t h e offi cer h ad p r o b a b l e cau se t o arres t M cCl o u d fo r d ri v i n g wi t h o u t a d ri v er’ s

l i cen se an d th e en s u i n g s earch o f h i s p ers o n was i nci d en t t o an arres t p u rs u an t to

OCGA § 1 7 -5 -1

.

R e g a rd i ng t h e g u n ev i d en ce ret ri ev ed fro m M cCl o u d ’ s car, we n eed n o t

ad d res s wh et her t h e s earch was l aw fu l as a s earch i n ci d en t to arres t g i v en t h at t h e

o ffi cer a l s o t es t i fi ed t hat t h e search was m ad e i n p rep arat i o n t o im p o u n d t h e car

b ecau s e M cCl o ud ’ s car was n o t d ri v ab l e. 2 S co t t v. S t at e , 3 1 6 Ga. Ap p . 3 4 1 , 3 4 2 -4 3

( 7 2 9 SE2 d 4 8 1 ) (2 0 1 2 ) (wh en offi cers i m p o un d a car, “ t h ey m ay i n v en t o ry i t s

co n ten t s to p ro t ect t h e p ro p ert y o f t he o wn er an d to p ro t ect t he o ffi cers fro m p o t en t i al

2 See Ar i z o na v. Ga n t

, 5 5 6 U

. S. 3 3 2

, 3 5 (VI) (1 29 SCt 1 7 1 0

, 1 7 3 LE2 d 4 8 5 )

(2 0 0 9) (“ [p ] o l i ce m ay

s earch a v eh i cl e i n ci d en t t o a recen t o ccu p an t’ s arres t o n l y i f

t h e arres t ee is wi t h i n reach i n g d i s t an ce o f t h e p as sen g er co m part m en t at t he t i m e o f

t h e s earch o r i t i s reas o n ab l e to b el i ev e t he v eh i cl e co n t ai n s ev i den ce o f t h e o ffen s e

o f arres t .”)

7d an ger an d ag ai n s t cl ai m s fo r l o s t o r s t o l en p ro p ert y ”); Gr i mes v. S t a t e

, 3 03 Ga. Ap p.

8 0 8

, 8 1 2 (1 ) (b ) (6 9 5 SE2 d 2 9 4 ) (2 0 1 0 ) (a s earch o f a v eh i cl e i n ci den t t o a l awf u l

arres t o f i ts o ccu p an t an d an i n v en t ory s earch o f a v e h i cl e i n p rep arat i o n fo r

i m p o u n d m en t are two al t ern at i ves fo r det erm in i n g wh et h er a s earch o f a v eh i cl e was

l awfu l ).

[W ] h i l e th e p o l i ce m ay n o t i m p o u n d a car t o s earch fo r

co n t rab a n d

, t h ey

m ay i m p o u n d a veh i cl e i f t h ey m u s t t ak e ch arg e o f i t

fo r s om e reas o n. An d u l t i m at el y

, t h e t es t fo r t h e v al i d i t y o f t he p o l i ce’ s

co n d u ct is wh et h er, u nd er t h e ci rcu m st an ces t h en co nfro n t i n g t h e p o l i c e

,

t h ei r co n d uct w as reas o n ab l e wi t h i n t h e m ean i n g o f t h e Fo u rt h

Am en dm en t

.

(Fo o tn o tes an d p u n ct u at i o n o m i t t ed .) Gr iz zl e v. S t a t e

, 3 1 0 Ga. A p p

. 5 7 7

, 5 7 9 (1 ) (7 1 3

SE2 d 7 0 1 ) (2 0 1 1 ). Here, g i v en t h e f a c t s i n t hi s cas e, i ncl u d in g t h e v eh i cl e’ s

i n v o l v em en t i n a s eri o u s acci den t

, i t b ei n g i n o p erab l e, t he p as s en g er’ s i n ju ry an d

t ran s po rt t o t h e h os p it al

, an d M cCl o u d ’ s arres t

, it was n o t u nreas on ab l e u n d er t h e

Fo u rt h Am en d m en t an d t h e ci rcu m s t an ces fac i n g t h e o ffi cer at t h e t im e fo r h i m to

h av e M cCl o ud ’ s v eh icl e i m p ou n d ed . Fu rt h er,

an o ffi cer is n o t req u i red t o as k t h e own er wh at [h e] wo ul d l i k e t o d o

wi t h [h i s ] car wh en t h e o wn er h as b een arres ted an d t h e r e i s n o o ne

p res en t at t h e scen e t o t ak e c u s t o d y o f t h e car an d s afel y rem o v e i t [.]

.

8. . Al t h o u g h t h e o ffi cer d i d n o t i n q u i re wh et h er [M cCl o u d ] co u ld m ak e

o t h er arran g em en t s fo r t h e ret ri ev al o f [h i s ] car, h e was n o t req u i red t o

d o s o.

. . . Th i s i s es p eci al l y t r u e wh en t h e veh i cl e im p ed es o r po s es a

p o t en t i al d an g er t o t raffi c.

(Ci t at i o n s an d p u n ct u at i o n o m i t t ed .) S co tt v. S t a t e , 3 1 6 Ga. Ap p

. at 3 4 3

.

Acco rd i ng l y

, we rev ers e t h e o rd er o f t h e t ri al co u rt g ran t i n g M cCl o u d ’ s m o t i o n

t o s u p p res s

.

Ju d g men t r ever sed . McMi l l i a n a n d

Mer ci er , JJ., co n cu r

.

.

9