Court Opinion

ID: 9709889
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-08-26 03:56:47.493799+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T18:22:52.341747
License: Public Domain

DISSENTING OPINION
BY KELLY, J.:
¶ 1 Because the record confirms that this interaction was not a mere encounter, and that the state troopers followed and approached Appellant without reasonable suspicion, I respectfully dissent. Trooper Long and his partner followed “just behind” Appellant for “two or three minutes,” on a dark remote road “close to a mile, mile and a half,” at 1:15 AM. (N.T. Hearing, 3/27/08, at 2-3, 10, 14). Appellant was not speeding, and did not swerve, veer off the road, or cross the center line. (Id. at 10, 11, 13). Unlike Johonoson, he was not driving unduly slowly; his hazard lights were not activated. Trooper Long conceded that he had “no suspicion at that point of anything.” (Id. at 11). When Appellant found a straight section of the curving road where he could safely pull over, he put on his right turn signal and pulled his car to the side to let the vehicle following him pass. (Id. at 4, 19). The state troopers pulled in behind him. Although Trooper Long claimed concern that Appellant had a vehicle failure, he did not immediately approach. Rather, he testified that “I just stayed behind him until he made an action,” (id. at 5), and “I just wanted to see what his next action would be, so I just stayed behind him until he made an action.” (Id. at 7). The troopers waited in their vehicle for “about 30 seconds,” and then ran a license plate check which confirmed that Appellant’s residence was not in the immediate area. (Id.). At that point the troopers activated their lights, exited the vehicle, and approached Appellant. (Id. at 7-8). The troopers’ inaction did not reflect that they suspected an emergency situation.
¶ 2 This case is indistinguishable on the facts from Commonwealth v. Fuller, 940 A.2d 476, 480 (Pa.Super.2007) (appellee did nothing more than pull his truck to side of road to allow another motorist to pass; sentence vacated and remanded) (Pa.Super.2007), and Commonwealth v. Hill, 874 A.2d 1214, 1217 (Pa.Super.2005) (appellee only pulled to side of road to let vehicle pass; grant of suppression affirmed). In those cases this Court, over dissents, concluded that the appellants were subjected to investigatory detentions, unsupported by a reasonable suspicion of criminal activity. The record supports the same conclusion here. Accordingly, I respectfully dissent.