People are frequently stopped by police for a variety of reasons. When police make a traffic stop, they are carefully scrutinizing the person, trying to determine if illegal behavior has occurred. In some cases, people may be let go with little more than a warning, in other cases, traffic stops can result in serious criminal charges.
In a recent case, an Illinois driver has been charged with drug charges following a traffic stop. In this case, police say that the 24-year-old driver was acting suspiciously prior to being pulled over. According to police, the driver closely followed another car before he was pulled over. In the traffic stop, the police officer claims that the driver was acting sleepy and had glassy eyes. Furthermore, the officer noticed that the car smelled like marijuana. Finally, the police officer alleges that the man kept looking at a bag in the back seat of the car.
According to the officer, the man denied smoking marijuana. However, police say the man eventually admitted to having marijuana after a canine unit was called. Following the admission, police searched the man’s bag and allegedly found 168 grams of cocaine and 142 grams of marijuana. Following this search, the man was arrested and charged with possession and sale of marijuana.
This traffic stop resulted in serious drug charges for the man involved. In this case, the man apparently admitted to having drugs. However, Illinois residents should know that they are not required to admit to criminal behavior to police. In fact, Illinois residents have the right to remain silent and only answer police questions in the presence of their attorney.
People may feel intimidation during a traffic stop, but it is important to keep these rights in mind. Police do not have unlimited powers and people may need to take affirmative action to protect their rights.
By Robert Kerr
Source: The Herald-News, “Cops: Nervous driver arrested on drug charge,” Brian Stanley, Nov. 11, 2013
