Opinion ID: 723208
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: Search of Defendant's Automobile

Text: 11 Defendant argues that the scope of the search warrant did not authorize the police to search his car because he was a visitor to the premises and the car was not owned by the owner of the premises to be searched. Although the Supreme Court apparently has not addressed this issue directly, a majority of the courts that have addressed the issue have upheld the search of a car on the premises, even where the search of vehicles was not expressly included in the wording of the warrant, regardless of whether it was owned or controlled by the owner of the premises searched. See, e.g., United States v. Gottschalk, 915 F.2d 1459, 1461 (10th Cir.1990); United States v. Cole, 628 F.2d 897 (5th Cir.1980) (upholding the search of a truck belonging to a third party who arrived at the searched residence during execution of the warrant), cert. denied, 450 U.S. 1043 (1981). 12 In a case somewhat analogous to the situation here, the Sixth Circuit stated that where officers act reasonably and in a way that is authorized by a valid warrant, the search will be upheld. In United States v. Combs, 468 F.2d 1390, 1392 (6th Cir.1972), cert. denied, 411 U.S. 948 (1973), the warrant authorized a search of the premises, including all outbuildings and vehicles thereon, including all adjacent properties used by the said Pearl Combs [defendant's father]. The officers in Combs searched a car belonging to defendant that was parked near the house in an area where the family generally parked their cars assuming that the car belonged to Pearl Combs. Contraband was found in the car. In fact, the car was parked on the lot next door to Pearl Combs and belonged to defendant, Pearl Combs' son, who moved to suppress the evidence. This Court held that because the car was located within the curtilage of the house and reasonably appeared to belong to the owner of the premises searched, the search was legal. Id. 13 We find that the officers in the instant case acted reasonably in assuming the vehicle to be within the scope of the warrant due to its location on the premises to be searched. The search warrant here specifically included in its scope any vehicles present on the premises. It did not limit the search only to vehicles belonging to the owner of the residence to be searched. Under the circumstances, it appears that the search of the car was reasonable.