Blitch v. State

BENHAM, Justice.

Appellant Melissa Suzanne Blitch was stopped by a Gwinnett County police officer after he observed she was not wearing a seat/shoulder safety belt while operating her car. OCGA § 40-8-76.1. When the officer approached her stopped car, he noticed Blitch was “unusually nervous” and did not make eye contact with him. She gave a negative response to his inquiry whether there was anything in the car he needed to know about for his personal safety, and assented to his request to search the car. The officer found in plain view in Blitch’s open purse located on the passenger seat a…