DENVER—Motorists with temporary tags who are traveling through other states must comply with each state’s law on how to display the tags or face getting pulled over and questioned.
In a ruling by the 10th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals, the court ruled Monday that a Kansas trooper had sufficient cause to stop and question Henry Osvaldo Martinez because of his registration.
Martinez was challenging his conviction of possession with intent to distribute after the trooper found more than 19 pounds of cocaine in a hidden compartment of his Jeep after the stop.
Martinez had a “One Trip Permit” from the state of California affixed to the inside lower right-hand corner of the windshield, as required by California law. Kansas requires permits and plates be affixed to the back side of vehicles.
In ruling Trooper Andrew Dean’s stop of Martinez was legal, the court held that “reasonable suspicion” existed that a violation of Kansas law occurred.
Dean had issued Martinez a written warning and asked him if he could search his vehicle, to which Martinez consented, according to the court.
