Opinion ID: 2499220
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: State v. Snapp

Text: ¶ 3 On July 22, 2006, about 8:00 a.m., Trooper Keith Pigott saw a blue Ford Escort that was occupied by driver Daniel Snapp and passenger Angela Mae Wilcox. The trooper noticed two air fresheners hanging from the Escort's rearview mirror, which he believed blocked the driver's view. The trooper pulled his vehicle up next to the Escort and saw that the driver's seat belt appeared to be patched together with a blue carabiner. In his opinion, the carabiner was insufficient and the seat belt was defective. ¶ 4 Trooper Pigott dropped back behind the Escort, activated his emergency lights, and pulled the car over. As Mr. Snapp turned into a parking lot, Trooper Pigott saw Snapp lean forward and dip his right shoulder, as if he was placing something under the seat. Trooper Pigott called for backup. ¶ 5 When Pigott approached the driver's side of Snapp's car, Pigott told Snapp why he was stopped. Trooper Pigott asked what Snapp hid as he pulled into the parking lot and Mr. Snapp answered that he was reaching for a cigarette. The trooper asked for identification, registration, and proof of insurance. Mr. Snapp identified himself using a Department of Corrections (DOC) inmate card and said he did not have a driver's license. ¶ 6 Mr. Snapp quickly opened and closed the glovebox to retrieve the registration form. While the glovebox was open, Trooper Pigott believed he saw a baggie of what he suspected was methamphetamine. Trooper Pigott's observation of Mr. Snapp led him to believe that Snapp was under the influence of a stimulant. ¶ 7 Trooper Pigott asked Snapp if he had any weapons and Snapp produced a knife from his pants pocket. Pigott then asked Mr. Snapp to exit the car to perform sobriety tests, and Snapp agreed to perform the tests. Pigott concluded that while Snapp might be under the influence to some degree, he was not impaired to the level that would justify an arrest for driving while under the influence. ¶ 8 Pigott asked Snapp whether there was meth in the glovebox. Mr. Snapp said that there was no meth but there was a meth pipe in the car. The trooper handcuffed Snapp and placed him in the back of his patrol car. When she was asked what was in the car, Ms. Wilcox said that there was marijuana in her purse and that Snapp had hidden a meth pipe. Officer Pigott retrieved the meth pipe in the area where he had seen Mr. Snapp make the movement that Snapp described as reaching for a cigarette. ¶ 9 A records check revealed that Mr. Snapp had an outstanding no-bail arrest warrant for escape from the DOC and that Snapp's driver's license had been revoked. He was arrested on the warrant, for driving while his license was revoked and for drug paraphernalia. Ms. Wilcox, who was arrested for possession of marijuana, was placed in the patrol car of Trooper Ames, called in as backup. ¶ 10 Trooper Pigott searched the Escort incident to Snapp's arrest. He found an accordion folder that contained papers and items with peoples' identities and a CD case that contained identification cards and credit cards, which Trooper Pigott concluded were evidence of identity theft. Snapp also had credit cards in his wallet that did not belong to him. Pigott noticed that the backseat of the car was folded down and he could see that there were a large number of items in the trunk. He stopped the search and had the car impounded. Later, a search warrant was obtained for the Escort's trunk. ¶ 11 On October 31, 2006, the State charged Mr. Snapp with 21 counts of second degree identity theft and one count of first degree identity theft. Snapp moved to suppress the evidence obtained during the warrantless search, arguing that both the stop and the search were unlawful. The trial court denied the motion. In its findings of fact resolving disputed facts, the trial court found that the trooper's description of the carabiner was credible and that Trooper Pigott had probable cause to stop the car and to arrest Snapp on the outstanding escape warrant, for driving while his license was suspended, and for the drug paraphernalia. The court concluded that the search of the vehicle was a valid search incident to arrest. ¶ 12 The State filed an amended information charging Snapp with six counts of second degree identity theft and Snapp entered an Alford-Newton plea, [2] pleading guilty to all six counts but with a reservation of his right to appeal the denial of his CrR 3.6 motion to suppress. He appealed and the Court of Appeals affirmed. The Court of Appeals held that Trooper Pigott lawfully arrested Snapp for use of drug paraphernalia and then searched the vehicle for evidence related to this crime of arrest. Therefore, the court concluded, under Gant 's Thornton exception the warrantless search was lawful. State v. Snapp, 153 Wash.App. 485, 219 P.3d 971 (2009). ¶ 13 Acting pro se, Snapp sought discretionary review by this court, arguing that under Patton and Buelna Valdez the search violated article I, section 7. We granted the petition for discretionary review and appointed counsel for Snapp.