Opinion ID: 754070
Heading Depth: 3
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: Nichols' behavior supports reasonable suspicion

Text: 57 Nichols accurately points to Fifth Circuit precedent holding that avoidance of eye contact is entitled to no weight, see United States v. Chavez-Villarreal, 3 F.3d 124, 127 (5th. Cir.1993); Cardona, 955 F.2d at 983 n. 9; however, the record reflects that the Border Patrol agents were more concerned with Nichols' overall behavior at the stop sign than they were with his eye contact, or lack thereof. It is beyond dispute that Border Patrol agents may consider the behavior of a vehicle's driver in determining whether there is reasonable suspicion to stop that vehicle. See, e.g., Brignoni-Ponce, 422 U.S. at 885, 95 S.Ct. at 2582 (The driver's behavior may be relevant, as erratic driving or obvious attempts to evade officers can support a reasonable suspicion.); Inocencio, 40 F.3d at 723 (defendant's use of load car--lead car driving pattern, commonly used by drug smugglers, contributed to reasonableness of Border Patrol agents' suspicion); Cardona, 955 F.2d at 981 (considering, in reasonable suspicion analysis, that vehicle slowed its speed considerably and began weaving shortly after agents began following it). 58 Here, Nichols' behavior at the stop sign obviously adds to the reasonableness of the Border Patrol agents' suspicion. Nichols stopped at the intersection for a full twenty to thirty seconds. The Border Patrol vehicle was in plain view less than 15 feet away from Nichols' vehicle. A street light initially illuminated the Border Patrol vehicle, and the agents illuminated Nichols' truck with their headlights as Nichols approached the intersection. The Border patrol agents observed that, not only did Nichols avoid making eye contact, but he also did not even look in their direction when they illuminated their headlights, nor did he look in either direction down the road as if to see which way to go. Instead, Nichols simply stared straight ahead into the brush. 59 Agent Diaz's testimony makes it clear that it was not merely Nichols' avoidance of eye contact that contributed to the agents' suspicions, but his overall behavior while at the stop sign for an unusual period of time: 60 Q. What did this person do when you illuminated the cab with your headlights? 61 A. Well, he didn't acknowledge us at all. I mean, that seemed kind of strange. 62 Q. What do you mean by he didn't acknowledge you? 63 A. He came up to the stop sign and just ... it seemed like he parked there, you know, maybe twenty or thirty seconds and just kept staring forward, which there's nothing but brush. He never turned to see which way he was going to turn to or head to. 64