State v. Dean

OPINION

IRVINE, Judge.

¶ 1 The State appeals from the trial court’s order granting a motion to suppress evidence against Donald Dean found in the search of a Jeep. The State argues that the search was lawful because Dean abandoned the vehicle, because the vehicle was searched incident to Dean’s arrest, or because the search of the Jeep was a valid inventory search. We hold that, because the police officers confronted the defendant while he was driving the vehicle, the defendant left the vehicle in an attempt to evade the police, and the officers searched the vehicle immediately after arresting…