State v. Stone

The state appeals the trial court’s order suppressing evidence of methamphetamine that an officer found during an inventory of defendant’s impounded car. ORS 138.060(l)(c). The state contends that the officer properly opened a closed container found in defendant’s car as part of an inventory pursuant to the City of Beaverton’s Vehicle Inventory Ordinance. We reverse.

The relevant facts are not in dispute. After defendant made an improper lane change, a City of Beaverton police officer stopped defendant’s car. The officer determined that defendant’s insurance had expired. The officer impounded…