Shepherdsville Traffic Stop Resulted in a Heroin Arrest

A man is now in the Bullitt County jail after being arrested on I-65.  This Shepherdsville traffic stop resulted in a heroin arrest.

Police can pull you over for any number of reasons.  Broken brake lights, headlights, turn signals and other items are valid reasons for a traffic stop.  It’s also a quick way for police to discover any illicit items they may suspect, based on the info you give them – or even the way you’re acting around them.

What Are Miranda Rights?

Miranda warnings arise from the landmark case of Miranda v. Arizona, 384 U.S. 436 (1966), wherein the United States Supreme Court held that a defendant must be informed of his constitutional rights by the police prior to any questioning about an offense or crime.   Miranda includes the right to counsel and the right to remain silent at all times.  The Miranda warnings are typically given at the time of an arrest.

It’s important to note, that anything you say before being taken into custody or arrested isn’t protected under Miranda.

Using the example of this situation wherein a Shepherdsville traffic stop resulted in a heroin arrest, any answers the man gave to police prior to his arrest were fair game.

Surprisingly, you are not required to provide answers to a police officer if stopped.  Many people commonly do so in an effort to avoid a problem, or to act as if they are cooperating.  The reality is that police officers make hundreds of stops and ask thousands of questions.  They have been trained to quickly spot red flags or other clues.  They are trained to get you to admit to things you never thought you’d actually admit.

It’s not a game.  As a Louisville criminal defense attorney, I know the potential problems that can follow if you’ve been arrested on drug charges.  I can attempt to have certain pieces of evidence thrown out.  That may include actual statements you may have made, but it’s not always that easy.  The simple, unvarying rule of thumb is to simply say nothing.  If they are going to arrest you, let them do it because they are going to arrest you anyway.  We can go to work on your case as soon as that happens.  The rules change once you’re in custody.  You’ll be able to request your attorney who will handle the situation.  The best word of advice is to always say nothing.

In this case, the driver had defective equipment, which led to a traffic stop.  That was all the police needed to effectuate a traffic stop.  It’s also why a simple Shepherdsville traffic stop ultimately resulted in a heroin arrest.  Life just became very complicated for this man.  I hope he has a skilled criminal defense lawyer on his side.  He’s going to need it.

Link to News Story:  http://www.wave3.com/2019/03/04/i-traffic-stop-leads-drug-arrest-bullitt-county/