Being pulled over for a traffic violation is serious enough, but a traffic stop that appears to be routine may yield evidence of several other, more serious crimes. A recent traffic stop in the borough of Lititz demonstrates this effect very convincingly.
The incident
On July 9, a Lititz borough police officer stopped a vehicle for a minor traffic violation. The vehicle was being driven by a resident of Philadelphia. According to the arresting officer, the suspect provided false information when the officer asked for identification. The officer stated that the suspect then attempted to physically resist the officer’s efforts to arrest him. After subduing the suspect and placing him under arrest, the officer found drug paraphernalia, crack cocaine, and open containers of alcoholic beverages in the automobile. Officers later discovered that the defendant had not obtained permission to operate the vehicle from the vehicle’s owner.
The defendant was incarcerated at Lancaster Central Booking and provided with an immediate arraignment.
According to the criminal complaint filed by the Lititz Borough Police Department, the defendant was charged with resisting arrest, presenting false identification to law enforcement officers, possession of drug paraphernalia, possession of a controlled substance, unauthorized use of a motor vehicle, violating restrictions on alcoholic beverages, and operating a motor vehicle after his driving privileges had been suspended.
Getting the right support
Media reports of this incident did not mention the violation that caused the officer to stop the defendant, but it may be safely assumed that the violation, whatever its nature, was not nearly as serious as the crimes for which the defendant was actually charged. Anyone facing similar charges would benefit from the assistance of an experienced criminal defense attorney.