A confrontation with a law enforcement officer, regardless of whether it is over a relatively minor issue, can make anyone nervous, even when a person has committed no wrongdoing. With this knowledge, it should not be unusual for police officers to encounter people who are nervous. However, one Texas police officer claims that a person who acted nervous following a traffic stop had something to hide; that person is now facing drug charges.
The incident that led to the man’s arrest happened on a day in late October. The police officer claims that he initially pulled over a man because of a defective light. Because he claims that the man acted nervously, the officer became suspicious. He claims that the driver handed him an open container containing alcohol, claiming that he had just poured it.
The officer states that the driver then gave him permission to search the vehicle. That search allegedly resulted in the discovery of a gun, marijuana, cash, Ecstasy pills, cocaine, hydrocodone and Xanax. Reports claim that conversations between the officers and the man led the former to believe that the driver intended to sell the drugs.
In addition to several felony drug charges, the man is also charged with felon in possession of a firearm. Often people faced with an interaction with Texas police officers are unsure of their legal rights, including that they do not have to give permission for a law enforcement officer to search their vehicle. Fortunately, there are experienced criminal defense professionals who can help guide those accused or suspected of a crime from the earliest stages of an investigation.