Opinion ID: 2463945
Heading Depth: 3
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: Motion to Suppress (Clayton's point 2)

Text: In his second point, Clayton contends the trial court erred by overruling his motion to suppress evidence. Clayton asserts that his arrest was not supported by probable cause and that the evidence seized after the arrest should have been suppressed. The evidence Clayton sought to suppress included statements Clayton made to Mike Rogers, of the Missouri highway patrol, a .38 caliber gun seized from outside the home, a gun holster from inside his truck, and samples of paint and rust taken from his truck. To determine whether the trial court properly overruled the motion to suppress, we must determine whether the arrest was made with probable cause, since the arrest was made without a warrant. Probable cause to arrest exists when the arresting officer's knowledge of the particular facts and circumstances is sufficient to warrant a prudent person's belief that a suspect has committed an offense. State v. Tokar, 918 S.W.2d 753, 767 (Mo. banc 1996), cert. denied, 519 U.S. 933, 117 S.Ct. 307, 136 L.Ed.2d 224 (1996). Whether there is probable cause to arrest depends on the information in the officers' possession prior to the arrest. State v. Wiley, 522 S.W.2d 281, 287 (Mo. banc 1975). There is no precise test for determining whether probable cause existed; rather, it is based on the particular facts and circumstances of the individual case. Wiley, 522 S.W.2d at 287; State v. Pruitt, 479 S.W.2d 785, 788 (Mo. banc 1972). Furthermore, probable cause is determined by the collective knowledge and the facts available to all of the officers participating in the arrest; the arresting officer does not need to possess all of the available information. State v. Mayweather, 865 S.W.2d 672, 675 (Mo.App.1993); see also Pruitt, 479 S.W.2d at 788. The record supports a finding that probable cause existed at the time of Clayton's arrest. Deputy Castetter had responded to a dispatch that a blue Toyota pickup with wooden sides had been parked in Dixie Seal's driveway. Deputies Manning and Bowman also responded to the dispatch. Upon arriving, they found Deputy Castetter's car against a tree and Deputy Castetter bleeding. Carolyn Leonard, Dixie Seal's daughter, advised the deputies that Clayton had been there in a blue Toyota pickup with wooden sides. The dispatcher then advised officers to watch for the vehicle driven by Clayton and that Deputy Castetter had been injured. Chief McCracken heard the dispatch and recognized the description of the vehicle as the same vehicle driven by Clayton earlier in the day when he had seen Clayton at the Country Corner store. Shortly thereafter Clayton's address was verified and Chiefs McCracken and Clark went to Clayton's home. The officers were familiar with Clayton's reputation as a violent person. The officers arrived at Clayton's home just as Clayton pulled into the driveway. The officers attempted to speak with Clayton, but he acted as though he could not hear them and refused to walk toward the officers. Instead he went to the side of his home where it appeared that he placed something in a stack of cement blocks. Clayton was then restrained. The passenger in Clayton's vehicle advised the officers that Clayton had a gun in the truck. When the officers did not locate the gun in the truck, they looked in the stack of cement blocks where they located the gun. Clayton was then placed under arrest. Based on these facts, probable cause existed at the time of Clayton's arrest. The trial court did not err in overruling Clayton's motion to suppress evidence. Point 2 is denied.