Case Name: STATE of Louisiana v. Luis CORZO
Court: Louisiana Supreme Court
Jurisdiction: Louisiana
Decision Date: 2002-11-08
Citations: 831 So. 2d 904
Docket Number: No. 2002-K-0766
Parties: STATE of Louisiana v. Luis CORZO.
Judges: 
Reporter: Southern Reporter, Second Series
Volume: 831
Pages: 904–905

Head Matter:
STATE of Louisiana v. Luis CORZO.
No. 2002-K-0766.
Supreme Court of Louisiana.
Nov. 8, 2002.

Opinion:
PER CURIAM.
Granted. The court of appeal's decision is reversed and the defendant's conviction and sentence are reinstated. From the testimony at the motion to suppress hearing, the officers had probable cause to search the gas cap compartment after watching the defendant, the target of the narcotics investigation, leave an apartment known for drug activity and place an object in the gas cap compartment. Furthermore, exigent circumstances arising from the detention of the vehicle on the open road excused the lack of a warrant. Pennsylvania v. Labron, 518 U.S. 938, 940, 116 S.Ct. 2485, 2487, 135 L.Ed.2d 1031 (1996); see also State v. Tatum, 466 So.2d 29, 31 (La.1985).