Opinion ID: 2586281
Heading Depth: 4
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: Stopping and Impounding the Car

Text: Defendant asserts that Officer Pettus stopped and impounded the car because defendant and Alvarado were two Mexican males, an act that would violate the federal Constitution's prohibition on the selective enforcement of the law based on ethnicity. But defendant did not raise the claim of ethnic bias below, and consequently forfeits the issue on appeal. The claim also lacks merit. Defendant did not introduce any evidence at the suppression hearing showing the officers' harbored ethnic bias or animus towards them. As defendant conceded at the suppression hearing, the license plate light on Alvarado's car was burned out, and Officer Pettus had probable cause to stop the car for a violation of Vehicle Code section 24601. As to impounding the car, defendant likewise presents no evidence of any ethnically motivated conduct by the officers. [9] Officer Pettus testified he decided to impound the car because neither defendant nor Alvarado had a valid license. Defendant also contends that because a valid Mexican driver's license was later found on him, Officer Pettus's testimony that defendant did not produce the Mexican driver's license before the car was impounded is facially implausible. We disagree. As the trial court noted, it is quite conceivable that defendant and Alvarado did not want to reveal their true identities at the time of the stop. Defendant presented no evidence at the suppression hearing to controvert Officer Pettus's testimony that defendant said he did not have a driver's license and did not provide a license to the officer. Because neither occupant of the car produced a valid driver's license, the officer was authorized to impound the vehicle. (See Veh.Code, ง 22651, subd. (p).)