City of Helena v. C. Brown

¶1 The State of Montana appeals the order entered by the First Judicial District Court, Lewis and Clark County, reversing the Helena Municipal Court’s order denying Christopher Brown’s motion to suppress evidence related to his arrest for driving under the influence of alcohol (DUI). We reverse the District Court’s order, addressing the following issue:

Did the District Court err by concluding that particularized suspicion did not exist for the investigatory stop?

FACTUAL AND PROCEDURAL BACKGROUND

¶2 On March 4, 2015, at around 2 a.m., Officer Noal Petty initiated a traffic stop near the walking…