ACLU Challenges Vermont Traffic Stop

A motorist was pulled over, detained for over an hour and then had his car towed for what?…a minor Vermont traffic ticket.

According to a recent lawsuit filed by the ACLU, a young man was pulled over after a Vermont State Trooper alleged that snow was partially covering his registration tag.

After the officer tried repeatedly to gain consent from the motorist to search the vehicle, which according to the suit, took over an hour, the officer had the vehicle towed and told the motorist that he would have to walk home, some 8 miles from his current location.

Eventually, the police were able to gain a warrant to search the vehicle and found only a small amount of marijuana, a civil offense that submits the offender to a small fine.

The Troopers involved in the arrest are now going to be forced to answer some tough questions as to their conduct, which may shed some further light on tactics used by law enforcement that directly contradict their sworn duty to protect and serve the public.