People v. Peterson

—Yesawich Jr., J.

Appeal from an order of the County Court of Tompkins County (Sherman, J.), entered March 24, 1999, which granted defendant’s motion to suppress evidence.

On afternoon patrol in an area of the City of Ithaca, Tompkins County, known to Ithaca Police Officer Donald Barker as a place where drug trafficking was common, Barker observed activity that led to defendant’s arrest. In brief, Barker saw defendant, who lived in the vicinity of a parked pickup truck, *739enter it, talk to the driver for approximately 15 seconds and then exit the truck. Defendant thereupon signaled with a “thumbs…