In this case, Trooper Ramsey of the Kentucky State Police noticed a car doing 63 in a 70 mph zone. He ran the plates and discovered the registered owner had a warrant for her arrest. He pulled the vehicle over and when approaching the car he saw Pyles stuffing something under a pile of clothes in the back seat.  When one of the occupants rolled down a window, Trooper Ramsey smelled marijuana and he called backup. When backup arrived, the officers searched the vehicle and found a firearm, marijuana, and methamphetamine.

Pyles sought to have the evidence excluded based on an unreasonable traffic stop, but the Sixth Circuit held that the officer had reasonable suspicion to stop the car because the registered owner had a warrant out for her arrest and the Trooper had a reasonable suspicion she was one of the three people in the vehicle at the point he approached it.

This is a great case to review what is required to do a Terry Stop of a vehicle based on an outstanding arrest warrant.