Gonzales v. Texas

Before trial, Appellant Jimmy Gonzales filed a motion to suppress following a traffic stop, asserting that his seizure violated the Fourth Amendment of the U.S. Constitution and the Texas Constitution. An Abilene police officer witnessed Appellant stopped on a desolate road. Believing he needed assistance, the officer activated his lights to signal to Appellant that he was an officer and not a "bad guy" that had pulled behind him. Upon his approach towards Appellant's vehicle, the officer detected a strong odor of alcohol coming from the passenger compartment. Appellant's eyes were bloodshot and his speech was slurred. The officer eventually arrested Appellant for driving while intoxicated. Appellant moved to suppress, arguing that the officer did not have probable cause to seize him. The trial judge overruled the motion. The court of appeals affirmed and held the seizure was a reasonable exercise of the officer's community-caretaking function. Holding that Appellant's motion to suppress was properly denied, the Court of Criminal Appeals affirmed the court of appeals' judgment. View "Gonzales v. Texas" on Justia Law