Commonwealth v. Greely

37 Pa. D. & C.5th 30
CourtPennsylvania Court of Common Pleas, Berks County
DecidedJanuary 16, 2014
DocketNo. 2709-2013
StatusPublished

This text of 37 Pa. D. & C.5th 30 (Commonwealth v. Greely) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Pennsylvania Court of Common Pleas, Berks County primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Commonwealth v. Greely, 37 Pa. D. & C.5th 30 (Pa. Super. Ct. 2014).

Opinion

BOCCABELLA, J.,

FINDINGS OF FACT

1. On June 2nd, 2013 at approximately 11:21 P.M. Officer Rocco DeCamillo observed a silver 2004 Saturn Ion, parked at the south east comer of a Wal-Mart parking lot. The driver was identified as Jamie Lee Umer (32). The front passenger did not have any identification and told Officer DeCamillo that he lived in Phoenix, Arizona.

[32]*322. The front passenger (defendant) identified himself as Bryan Parsons DOB: 11-27-1976 and Social Security Number 168-68-4390. However, Officer DeCamillo later found out that the defendant’s name was Brian Thomas Greely DOB: 11-27-1977 and the Social Security Number is 168-68-4390 (same as above). Officer DeCamillo asked both occupants if there were any drugs or alcohol in the vehicle. They both replied no.

3. According to Officer DeCamillo, the defendant appeared to be intoxicated and was slurring his words. The defendant’s eyes were bloodshot and glassy. He observed a bottle of tequila, which was half full in between the defendant’s feet.

4. Officer DeCamillo returned to his vehicle to retrieve his PBT and to confirm the information both occupants gave to him. During this time, the defendant exited the vehicle. Officer DeCamillo thought he was going to urinate at the edge of the guard rail. Officer DeCamillo ordered him back into the vehicle. The defendant proceeded to step over the guard rail and run.

5. Officer DeCamillo yelled stop but the defendant continued to run. Officer DeCamillo alerted Berks County Communications that the defendant had fled the scene. Officer DeCamillo spoke to the driver (Jamie Lee Umer) and asked if she knew why the defendant fled. She responded “I don’t know why he fled.”

6. Officer DeCamillo noticed that the defendant took the bottle of tequila with him when he fled. The driver cooperated and divulged the defendant’s phone number and said he lives with his grandmother in the trailer park to the rear of Wal-Mart. Officer DeCamillo administered [33]*33the PBT to the driver and she registered negative for the consumption of alcohol. The driver was released at approximately 11:30 P.M.

7. At 11:50 P.M, Office DeCamillo called the phone and number and spoke with Loretta Greely (grandmother). He immediately went to the residence and the grandmother said the defendant lives here but he is not home. The grandmother allowed Officer Decamillo to look in the defendant’s room to make sure he was not home.

8. The grandmother also provided the defendant’s birthday which was 11-27-1977. The Officer gave the grandmother his business card and advised her to contact him if Brian came home.

9. Officer DeCamillo later found out that the defendant had an open SCOFF Law Warrant for cruelty to animals. The defendant is charged with false identification to law enforcement authorities 18 Pa. C.S.A Sec. 4914(a) and public drunkenness 18 Pa. C.S.A. Sec. 5505

CONCLUSIONS OF LAW

1. “Where a defendant files a motion to suppress, the burdens of production and persuasion are on the Commonwealth to prove the challenged evidence was not obtained in violation of the defendant’s rights.” Commonwealth v. West, 834 A.2d 625 at 629 (Pa. Super. 2003), citing Commonwealth v. Wilmington, 729 A.2d 1160 (Pa. Super. 1999); See also Pa.R.Crim.P. 581(H).

2. Section 6308(b) of the Vehicle Code provides:

Whenever a police officer is engaged in a systematic program of checking vehicles or drivers or has reasonable suspicion that a violation of this title is [34]*34occurring or has occurred, he may stop a vehicle upon request or signal, for the purpose of checking the vehicle’s registration, proof of financial responsibility, vehicle identification number or engine number or the driver’s license, or to secure such other information as the officer may reasonably believe to be necessary to enforce the provisions of this title.

75 Pa.C.S.A. § 6308(b) (Emphasis added).

3. “Thus, when an officer has reasonable suspicion a violation of the vehicle code is occurring or has occurred, he may interrupt the privileged operation of a vehicle on the public highways and stop the vehicle for the investigative purposes stated therein.” Commonwealth v. Chase, 960 A.2d 108, 112 (Pa. 2008) citing 75 Pa. C.S.A. § 6308(b).

4. “To establish grounds for ‘reasonable suspicion’ ... the officer must articulate specific observations which, in conjunction with reasonable inferences derived from these observations, led him reasonably to conclude, in light of his experience, that criminal activity was afoot and the person he stopped was involved in that activity.” Commonwealth v. Little, 903 A.2d 1269, 1272 (Pa. Super. 2006) citing Commonwealth v. Bennet, 827 A.2d 469, 477 (Pa. Super. 2003) (citing Commonwealth v. Cook, 558 Pa.50, 735 A.2d 673, 676 (1999)).

5. “In order to determine whether the police had a reasonable suspicion, the totality of the circumstances-the whole picture-must be considered.” In the Interest of D.M., 781 A.2d 1161, 1163 (Pa.2001) citing United States v. Cortez, 449 U.S. 411, 417 (1981).

6. In making this determination, we must give “due weight... to the specific reasonable inferences [the police [35]*35officer] is entitled to draw from the facts in light of his experience.” Commonwealth v. Cook, 735 A.2d 673, 676 (Pa.1999) quoting Terry v. Ohio, 392 U.S. 1, 27 (1968).

7. Also, the totality of the circumstances test does not limit our inquiry to an examination of only those facts that clearly indicate criminal conduct. Rather, “[e]ven a combination of innocent facts, when taken together, may warrant further investigation by the police officer.” Commonwealth v. Cook, 735 A.2d 673, 676 (Pa.1999) quoting Terry v. Ohio, 392 U.S. 1, 22 (1968).

8. “Reasonable suspicion sufficient to stop a motorist must be viewed from the standpoint of an objectively reasonable police officer.” Commonwealth v. Chase, 960 A.2d 108, 120 (Pa. 2008) citing Ornelas v. United States, 517 U.S. 690, 696(1996).

9.

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Related

Terry v. Ohio
392 U.S. 1 (Supreme Court, 1968)
United States v. Cortez
449 U.S. 411 (Supreme Court, 1981)
Ornelas v. United States
517 U.S. 690 (Supreme Court, 1996)
Whren v. United States
517 U.S. 806 (Supreme Court, 1996)
Commonwealth v. Hock
728 A.2d 943 (Supreme Court of Pennsylvania, 1999)
Commonwealth v. Little
903 A.2d 1269 (Superior Court of Pennsylvania, 2006)
Commonwealth v. Foglia
979 A.2d 357 (Superior Court of Pennsylvania, 2009)
Commonwealth v. Owen
580 A.2d 412 (Supreme Court of Pennsylvania, 1990)
Commonwealth v. Chase
960 A.2d 108 (Supreme Court of Pennsylvania, 2008)
Commonwealth v. Bennett
827 A.2d 469 (Superior Court of Pennsylvania, 2003)
Commonwealth v. Schmohl
975 A.2d 1144 (Superior Court of Pennsylvania, 2009)
Commonwealth v. Cook
735 A.2d 673 (Supreme Court of Pennsylvania, 1999)
Commonwealth v. Marti
779 A.2d 1177 (Superior Court of Pennsylvania, 2001)
Commonwealth v. Wilmington
729 A.2d 1160 (Superior Court of Pennsylvania, 1999)
Commonwealth v. Smith
577 A.2d 1387 (Supreme Court of Pennsylvania, 1990)
Commonwealth v. Kowalek
647 A.2d 948 (Superior Court of Pennsylvania, 1994)
Commonwealth v. Wojdak
466 A.2d 991 (Supreme Court of Pennsylvania, 1983)
Commonwealth v. West
834 A.2d 625 (Superior Court of Pennsylvania, 2003)
Commonwealth v. Costa-Hernandez
802 A.2d 671 (Superior Court of Pennsylvania, 2002)
Commonwealth v. McBride
595 A.2d 589 (Supreme Court of Pennsylvania, 1991)

Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
37 Pa. D. & C.5th 30, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/commonwealth-v-greely-pactcomplberks-2014.