State v. Button

¶ 1. This case asks us to decide whether a motor-vehicle stop was justified by the community caretaking doctrine. Defendant David Button contends that it was not and argues that the trial court erroneously denied his motion to suppress the evidentiary fruits of the stop. We reverse.

¶ 2. The trial court found the following facts, which defendant does not dispute. Shortly before midnight on November 19, 2011, defendant was driving west along Perley Road, a gravel country road in a scarcely populated area of Berkshire. At approximately 11:28 p.m., Trooper Jay Riggen was traveling east along the…