State v. Chambers

This is a criminal case in which defendant appeals from convictions for burglary and theft in the first degree. He assigns as error, inter alia, the trial court’s denial of his motion to suppress all statements and physical evidence derived from a police stop of his car. We reverse.

The facts are not particularly in dispute: The Washington County Sheriffs Department had instituted a special program of investigation and patrols in the Oak Hills area because of numerous burglary reports. Officer Bowman was present in the area because of his assignment on this patrol. Bowman’s attention was drawn…