Opinion ID: 2111897
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Heading: Search Incidental to Arrest.

Text: We resume our analysis by considering probable cause to arrest without a warrant, namely: When a law enforcement officer has knowledge, based on information reasonably trustworthy under the circumstances, which justifies a prudent belief that a suspect is committing or has committed a crime, the officer has probable cause to arrest without a warrant. State v. Blakely, 227 Neb. 816, 821, 420 N.W.2d 300, 304 (1988). Accord, State v. Twohig, supra ; State v. Staten, supra ; State v. Roggenkamp, 224 Neb. 914, 402 N.W.2d 682 (1987). The vehicle in which Coleman was a passenger made an erratic turn onto 34th Avenue, crossed the centerline of that public street occupied by an oncoming vehicle, and forced Officer Lang to take sudden and evasive action by sharply turning the cruiser from the path of the approaching vehicle and thereby avoiding a collision with the Buick carrying Coleman. Operation of the Buick violated at least one traffic statute in the Nebraska Rules of the Road, see Neb.Rev.Stat. § 39-620 (Reissue 1988) (a vehicle shall be driven on the right half of the roadway), and was sufficient to provide the officers with an objective basis for the officers' reasonable or prudent belief that other Nebraska statutes may have been violated; for example, Neb.Rev.Stat. §§ 39-669 (Reissue 1988) (careless driving), 39-669.01 (Reissue 1988) (reckless driving), and 39-669.07 (Reissue 1988) (drunk driving or driving under the influence of a drug). Consequently, in Coleman's case, the officers had sufficient particularized and objective facts to stop the vehicle in which Coleman was riding, to issue a traffic citation to Branch for violating a Nebraska statute pertaining to proper operation of a motor vehicle, and to conduct further investigation into Branch's ability to safely operate a motor vehicle. Moreover, the valid traffic stop led to discovery that the operator's license of the driver, Branch, was suspended and, hence, Branch's driving a motor vehicle subjected him to arrest for a violation of Neb.Rev.Stat. § 60-418 (Reissue 1988) (prohibition against a driver's operating a motor vehicle while the operator's driving privileges are suspended). Also, Branch was the subject of an outstanding arrest warrant and admitted that he was in possession of marijuana located in the Buick. Thus, the officers discovered the crack cocaine during their search of the Buick pursuant to a valid arrest of Branch. See New York v. Belton, 453 U.S. 454, 101 S.Ct. 2860, 69 L.Ed.2d 768 (1981) (when a law enforcement officer has made a lawful custodial arrest of an automobile's occupant, the officer may, as a contemporaneous incident of that arrest, search the automobile's passenger compartment and examine contents of any container, whether open or closed, within the passenger compartment). Additionally, the officers found the cocaine during their inventory search of the Buick impounded on account of Branch's arrest, an impoundment which is unchallenged in Coleman's case. See, South Dakota v. Opperman, 428 U.S. 364, 96 S.Ct. 3092, 49 L.Ed.2d 1000 (1976) (an inventory search of an automobile impounded by police protects the automobile owner's property while in police custody, protects police against claims or disputes over lost or stolen property, and protects police from potential danger; hence, inventories pursuant to standard police procedures are reasonable); Colorado v. Bertine, 479 U.S. 367, 107 S.Ct. 738, 93 L.Ed.2d 739 (1987) (inventory searches are a well-defined exception to the warrant requirement for a search; therefore, evidence discovered during a proper inventory search is constitutionally admissible); State v. Stalder, 231 Neb. 896, 438 N.W.2d 498 (1989) (evidence discovered during an inventory search of a vehicle is constitutionally admissible); State v. Hill, 214 Neb. 865, 336 N.W.2d 325 (1983) (evidence found by police without a warrant in an inventory search of a vehicle lawfully in police custody was constitutionally admissible). Cf. State v. Dixon, 237 Neb. 630, 467 N.W.2d 397 (1991) (constitutional admissibility of inventory items of property found on a defendant's person). Therefore, the officers discovered the crack cocaine during a valid search of the vehicle in which Coleman was a passenger. Accordingly, Coleman's first assignment of error is without merit.