Opinion ID: 149612
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: Stop and search

Text: On July 30, 2008, Nicholas Bowles, a Utah Highway Patrol Trooper, was working a drug interdiction assignment on Interstate 80 near Salt Lake City when he saw Mr. Simpson's Lexus driving eastbound. Trooper Bowles claimed that Mr. Simpson's car drew his attention because he was driving well below the speed limit, had his windows rolled down despite 95 degree heat, and appeared to be dragging something. Trooper Bowles began to follow Mr. Simpson's car. He witnessed Mr. Simpson twice make lane changes without the required two-second delay after signaling. Trooper Bowles decided to pull Mr. Simpson over for this traffic violation. After the trooper signaled for him to pull over, Mr. Simpson stopped in the emergency lane, relatively close to the flow of traffic. Trooper Bowles approached Mr. Simpson's car and saw the following: butane lighter refills in the rear pocket of the front passenger seat; a butane lighter in the ashtray; and a radar detector on the floor, pushed partly under the seat. When Mr. Simpson opened the glove compartment to retrieve a document, the trooper saw a package of energy pills. Trooper Bowles instructed Mr. Simpson to exit his vehicle and to sit in the patrol car. Once in the patrol car, Trooper Bowles noticed Mr. Simpson's whole body trembling nervously. Trooper Bowles contacted dispatch and proceeded to question Mr. Simpson while waiting for dispatch to respond with a license and registration check. After a few minutes Trooper Bowles, who did not have any paper tickets available, told Mr. Simpson that he only would be given a warning for a traffic violation. Trooper Bowles stated that he did this to see if it would relieve the tension Mr. Simpson was experiencing. According to Trooper Bowles, this information did not make Mr. Simpson less nervous. While sitting in the patrol car, Trooper Bowles questioned Mr. Simpson about his travel plans. He found that Mr. Simpson was vague and evasive in answering several other questions about his trip. Mr. Simpson told Trooper Bowles that he left Nebraska late Saturday or early Sunday, spent two and a half days driving to Reno, and had begun driving back to Nebraska on the Wednesday when Trooper Bowles stopped him. See Supp. Rec. vol. I, at 57. Trooper Bowles claimed that he was suspicious of Mr. Simpson's story that he went to Reno but did not go out or visit a casino and instead spent only a single night gambling at his friend's home. Trooper Bowles also testified that while he spoke to Mr. Simpson in the patrol car, he witnessed Cica, his drug-sniffing dog, shred his reward toy. Trooper Bowles stated that the only other time Cica had exhibited such behavior was when there was a person in the patrol car who was found with marijuana. Id. at 59-61. Additionally, Trooper Bowles noted that Mr. Simpson was traveling on the major drug corridor in Utah. . . . [I-80] is used frequently to transport narcotics. Id. at 63. Trooper Bowles heard from dispatch that Mr. Simpson had previously been charged in Nebraska for transporting drugs. Trooper Bowles then notified Mr. Simpson that he would only receive a warning and Mr. Simpson then exited the vehicle. Id. at 64. At this point, Trooper Bowles inquired if he could ask him some more questions. After Mr. Simpson indicated that he wanted to continue on his way, Trooper Bowles instructed him to return to the vehicle. Trooper Bowles then had the drug canine, Cica, sniff the exterior of the Lexus. The first time sniffing the exterior, Cica did not alert Trooper Bowles to any drugs. Trooper Bowles then detail[ed] Cica to again sniff particular areas of the car, and this time, Cica alerted to the presence of drugs. Id. at 67-69. After this alert, Trooper Bowles searched the car and found a kilogram of methamphetamine; 40 grams of heroin; eight syringes loaded with heroin; marijuana; prescription pills; and drug paraphernalia.