Missouri Court of Appeals, Eastern District / Jan 19, 2021
State of Missouri, Appellant, vs. Scott Allen Utech, Respondent.
Scott Allen Utech was charged with driving while intoxicated and filed a motion to suppress evidence, arguing the traffic stop was improper. The trial court granted the motion without findings of fact or conclusions of law. The State appealed, and the appellate court reversed, holding that uncontested evidence established reasonable suspicion for the traffic stop based on a computer check indicating expired license plates, despite the officer observing a current sticker and the plates ultimately not being expired. The case was remanded for further proceedings.