People v. Symmonds

This is an appeal by the State pursuant to Supreme Court Rule 604 (a)(1) (Ill. Rev. Stat. 1971, ch. 110A, par. 604(a)(1)) from an order granting the defendant’s motion to suppress evidence. On January 10, 1973, at 8:15 P.M., Illinois State Trooper Nargelenas stopped the defendant’s car after observing it had only one headlight functioning. Following routine procedure for hours of darkness, as the trooper approached defendant’s vehicle he used a flashlight to glance inside to ascertain the number of occupants and the possible presence of any weapon. In so doing he observed some beer cans on…