State Of Washington v. Martha E. Froehlich

Maxa, A.C.J.

¶1 The State appeals the trial court’s suppression of methamphetamine discovered in a search of Martha Froehlich’s vehicle following a car accident and the subsequent dismissal of the unlawful possession of a controlled substance charge against her. The State claims that the search was a lawful inventory search following the impoundment of Froehlich’s vehicle.

¶2 We hold that impoundment was not lawful and therefore the search was not lawful because (1) under the community caretaking exception, the State did not prove that the impounding officer considered whether Froehlich, her…