Court Opinion

ID: 9883535
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-10-06 01:46:24.321413+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T07:48:24.906920
License: Public Domain

LAWRENCE E. MOONEY, Judge.

OPINION CONCURRING IN RESULT

I concur in result. The search and seizure of the cocaine were legal because the cocaine inevitably would have been discovered. The officer had made a custodial arrest of the defendant for driving while suspended. Thus, the officer needed to secure the defendant’s vehicle, whether it was to be towed or locked and left at the scene. In either circumstance, the officer *46required the defendant’s keys, which had been left in the car’s ignition. Once an officer had custody of the keys and key-chain, it was inevitable that the small container containing the cocaine would be opened and inventoried. No officer should be expected to risk suit if money or other valuable property were later claimed to be missing from the container after the officer had custody of it.