Opinion ID: 149018
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: The investigative detention on January 19, 2008

Text: On January 19, 2008, at approximately 10:00 p.m., Kansas Highway Patrol Trooper Terry L. Berner stopped to get gas at a Kansas Department of Transportation facility on U.S. Highway 24-40 in Douglas County, Kansas. While in the parking lot, Trooper Berner observed a Ford pickup enter the parking lot directly across the highway at a location known as Tee Pee Junction. Tee Pee Junction contains a building that resembles a tee pee, a nearby building used for banquets and parties, and a parking lot. An area at the rear of parking lot was used by a local business, Wright's Tree Service, to store its trucks at night. The buildings were not in use on the evening at issue. Trooper Berner observed the pickup, which was driven by Mr. Salazar, make a U-turn, back up the entire length of the parking lot, and shut its lights off. The pickup truck parked next to a vehicle belonging to Wright's Tree Service. After the pickup stopped, Trooper Berner saw a reflection of what appeared to be a door opening. However, the trooper did not see anyone exit the pickup. At the hearing on the motion to suppress, Trooper Berner explained that his observations were consistent with at least three scenarios: (1) that the person in the vehicle needed to urinate; (2) that he or she wanted to get something outside of the vehicle; or (3) that the person was seeking to burglarize the vehicles in the parking lot. Trooper Berner then proceeded to drive his patrol car across the highway toward the parking lot with his headlights off. As Trooper Berner approached, the pickup turned on its headlights and began moving forward toward the patrol car. At that point, the two vehicles were approximately 75-100 feet away from each other. Upon seeing the pickup truck beginning to move forward, Trooper Berner activated his emergency lights, including his wigwag flashing headlights and dash-mounted red and blue lights ... inside the windshield. Aplt's App. at 23 (Tr. of Hr'g on Mot. to Suppress). The emergency lights activated the camera in the patrol car, and the resulting recording is part of our record. The recording indicates that Trooper Berner's patrol car and Mr. Salazar's pickup drove slowly toward each other for fourteen seconds. Both vehicles simultaneously came to a halt a few feet apart. Trooper Berner then directed his spotlight on Mr. Salazar. Within less than a second, Mr. Salazar began backing his pickup truck away from the patrol car and continued backing away for twenty seconds. Trooper Berner slowly drove toward the pickup, so the distance between the vehicles remained approximately twenty feet or less. After twenty seconds, the pickup momentarily stopped and then drove forward around the driver's side of the patrol car. When Mr. Salazar's pickup started to go around Trooper Berner's patrol car, Trooper Berner stepped out of his car, drew his firearm, and yelled at Mr. Salazar to stop and get out of the pickup. At that point, Mr. Salazar complied. Trooper Berner then holstered his weapon. At Trooper Berner's direction, Mr. Salazar moved to the front of the patrol car. Trooper Berner asked for identification. Mr. Salazar gave his name, but he could not produce a driver's license. He admitted that he had been drinking. Trooper Berner handcuffed Mr. Salazar and placed him under arrest for driving without a license. Then, Trooper Berner called for assistance and learned from the dispatcher that Mr. Salazar did not have a valid driver's license. At about 10:15 p.m., another officer arrived at the scene. Trooper Berner proceeded to inspect the location where Mr. Salazar had briefly stopped his pickup after backing up. Trooper Berner found a loaded .38 caliber revolver with an obliterated serial number. Inside the pickup, Trooper Berner found a gun case and a box of ammunition compatible with the revolver.