Court Opinion

ID: 9718056
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-08-26 07:16:02.720498+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T18:23:57.089474
License: Public Domain

OPINION ON REHEARING
Yaws has filed a second motion for rehearing in which he contends:
[T]he undisputed evidence is that there is no other possibility [than that the police had] an investigatory motive [for conducting the inventory search]. The evidence was that Appellant’s vehicle was situated behind a fence on the property of a third party at the time of the arrest; that, [sic] the vehicle did not create a public safety hazard; that, [sic] the vehicle was not evidence of any crime; and, that, [sic] the officers had actual knowledge of the availability of Appellant’s wife. The only conclusion is that there was absolutely no reason to impound the car.
The evidence shows that Yaws arrived at Dean’s business, parked his truck in front of the business, went inside briefly, went back outside, and then drove his truck to the side of the business, a fenced and gated area where goods were normally picked up. Smith arrested him before he got out of his truck. Smith told him to drive the truck to the front, where he placed Yaws into custody.
While it is true that Smith admitted the vehicle did not create a public safety hazard and that Smith instructed Yaws to drive the truck from the fenced area to the front of the business, the vehicle was still located on the property of a third party with whom Yaws had recently had a dispute. As mentioned in our opinion on original submission, an impoundment is lawful if “no other alternatives are available other than impoundment to insure the protection of the vehicle.” Benavides v. State, 600 S.W.2d 809, 811 (Tex.Crim.App. [Panel Op.] 1980); see also Daniels v. State, 600 S.W.2d 813, 814-15 (Tex.Crim.App. [Panel Op.] 1980).
*725While it is also true that Yaws told police that his wife could be on the scene in fifteen minutes to pick up the vehicle, this does not amount to “actual knowledge” as Yaws alleges. It only means that the police had “actual knowledge” that Yaws said that his wife could be on the scene in fifteen minutes. As noted in our opinion on original submission, even if Smith believed that Yaws’ wife was fifteen minutes away, courts have not required police to try to contact a relative or friend of the accused to take possession of the vehicle. We decline to impose such a requirement because it could result in the police remaining at the scene longer than reasonably necessary.
We also disagree with Yaws’ contention that the evidence leads to the conclusion that the police had an investigatory motive. Smith testified he decided to impound the vehicle as a consequence of making the arrest. He also testified that he did not even look inside the truck while arresting Yaws. In addition, Smith and Langehinnig both testified that they did not suspect Yaws’ truck contained drugs.
Yaws’ motion for rehearing also raises an equal protection argument regarding the inventory policy. He did not raise this issue in the trial court or on original submission before this Court. Therefore, we decline to discuss it.
Yaws’ second motion for rehearing is overruled.