Opinion ID: 2058953
Heading Depth: 3
Heading Rank: 3

Heading: The Guns

Text: Since Gebke had probable cause to seize and search defendant's box, and since the box contained what Gebke reasonably believed to be cannabis, Gebke had probable cause to arrest defendant. Accordingly, Gebke was authorized to order defendant out of the vehicle to effectuate the arrest. When defendant exited the vehicle, Gebke saw in plain view the butt of the handgun protruding from the front seat cushions. See Dickerson, 508 U.S. at 375, 113 S.Ct. at 2136-37, 124 L.Ed.2d at 345. Further, when Gebke effectuated a lawful custodial arrest of defendant, Gebke was authorized, as a contemporaneous incident of that arrest, to search the entire passenger compartment of that vehicle, which produced the loaded handgun and additional bullets behind the rear seat. See New York v. Belton, 453 U.S. 454, 460, 101 S.Ct. 2860, 2864, 69 L.Ed.2d 768, 775 (1981). We hold that the discovery of the handguns was not tainted by any fourth amendment violation. Accordingly, we do not address the State's alternative contention that Gebke was objectively authorized to order defendant to exit the vehicle during the traffic stop.