RI District Court and Traffic Tribunal Case Law

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Eric McNamara v. State of Rhode Island, A.A. No. 09-99, Reasonable Suspicion

Defendant appealed the decision of the Appeals Panel sustaining the violation of R.I.G.L. § 31-27-2.1 (refusal to submit to a chemical test). The Court held that where the defendant drove erratically by abruptly cutting across a lane onto an exit without using his directional, crossed over the cement chatter strip, stopped on the exit ramp, and then speed up once the arresting officer pulled behind him, there was reasonable suspicion to stop the defendant. Furthermore, the fact that the other charges for motor vehicle violations which created the reasonable suspicion were dropped, does not destroy the reasonable suspicion for the stop. Accordingly, the Court affirmed the decision of the trial court sustaining the charge against the defendant.

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