Opinion ID: 2080261
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 4

Heading: issues

Text: The defendant contends that certain physical evidence removed from his person and from the automobile which he operated during the commission of the crimes was improperly admitted into evidence over his objection. This claim is based upon the exclusionary rule of Mapp v. Ohio, (1961) 367 U.S. 643, 81 S.Ct. 1684, 6 L.Ed.2d 1081; Crowe v. State, (1969) 251 Ind. 562, 243 N.E.2d 759; Brooks v. State, (1967) 249 Ind. 291, 231 N.E.2d 816. As previously mentioned, the robbery victim activated an electronic alarm system while the robbery was in progress. It alerted the South Bend, Indiana Police. As one police officer arrived to investigate, he noticed an unlighted automobile moving slowly away from in front of the store. The officer followed in his patrol car. Another police officer in another patrol car attempted to block the path of the defendant, but he drove his vehicle up onto the curb and escaped. The pursuing police officers finally captured the defendant after a high speed chase which ended in his automobile colliding with a tree. The defendant was physically apprehended as he crouched on the ground next to the open passenger door of the wrecked vehicle. A paper sack containing coins, a revolver, and other items of evidence was found on the front seat of the automobile, and currency was found on the defendant's person. It is conceded by the defendant that this search falls under an exception to the warrant requirement as being incidental to his arrest, but he maintains that the police lacked a probable cause to arrest and that the warrantless seizure of evidence incidental to an invalid arrest violates the Fourth Amendment to the Constitution of the United States and Article I, Section 4 of the Constitution of the State of Indiana. Although a police officer may not arrest for a misdemeanor without a warrant, unless the misdemeanor was committed within his view, Hart v. State, (1924) 195 Ind. 384, 145 N.E. 492, he may arrest for a felony without a warrant, if he has reasonable and probable cause to believe that a felony is being, or has been committed by the subject of the arrest. Wagner v. State, (1968) 249 Ind. 457, 233 N.E.2d 236; Stearsman; Peak; Carter v. State, (1957) 237 Ind. 149, 143 N.E.2d 81; Snow v. State, (1955) 234 Ind. 234, 125 N.E.2d 802. The defendant argues that the police did not have sufficient cause to believe that there had been a felony committed at the time the first mentioned officer began to follow the automobile as it was driven away from the victimized store or when he and the second officer made their first attempt to stop it. The question is, however, whether the arresting officer had sufficient cause, at the time of the arrest, to believe that the defendant had, committed a felony. An arrest occurs when a person is placed under actual restraint, Ind. Code § 35-1-19-1, which, in this case, was when the police apprehended the defendant as he crouched beside the wrecked vehicle. At that time, the police knew that a robbery had been committed and had probable cause to believe that the defendant was the perpetrator. Since the arrest was lawful, the evidence obtained as an incidence thereof was properly admitted.