In this video, a driver is stopped late at night for minor traffic violations, including briefly crossing a line at an intersection and an allegedly obscured license plate. During the stop, the officer shifts focus after the driver admits to previously using marijuana hours earlier. What begins as a routine traffic encounter quickly turns into a legal question, whether an officer can extend a stop, demand field sobriety testing without clear, articulable signs of impairment. The situation evolves into a conflict between the officer's authority and the driver's Fourth Amendment protections against unreasonable detention. Hey, how's it going? >> Good evening. I'm Officer Shields of the Lower Merion Police Department. Just letting you know this stop is being audio and visually recorded. Yeah, I'm also recording. Okay, that's fine. May I see your license, registration, proof of insurance? >> Yes, sir. Reason why you pulled me over? Uh so, back at Church and Lancaster, you were over the line at the red light. I actually saw you back up. Yeah, I was like probably like over like a half a foot, 6 >> Yeah, and then the registration plate is obscured. It'll Uh well, my uh registrations were August. Yeah, so I >> No, I'm saying the the license plate, right? It so you have a tinted cover on it. So, it was I couldn't really see as you were passing me. Really? >> And I couldn't really see until >> I have lights back there doing the license plate. Yeah, I know, but it has like a cover on it kind of like fades it out, so Oh, that was the first time I ever heard it. No problem. It's okay. All right. I'm just DoorDashin'. You DoorDashin'? >> Yeah, I come out here every night. I see y'all in the parking lots every night, so I'm usually aware of everything, so >> No, yeah, I understand. No problem. I just got a question. Uh so, I smell marijuana. Is there any marijuana in the vehicle? No, I I smoked earlier when I was on break. I'm a patient as well. You're a patient? >> Yes. >> And I see you have a medical marijuana card? Yeah. At this point, the stop transitions from a traffic violation to a potential DUI investigation. Under the Fourth Amendment, an officer must have reasonable suspicion of impairment to extend the stop beyond its original purpose. Which is fine, thanks, sir. No problem. All right, about how long ago did you smoke? This was like 3 hours ago. What time is it now? Like probably like 10:30. 10:30? Yeah. All right. No problem. >> back, sir, all right? [clears throat] All right, thank you. All right. Hey, uh you just said did say you smoked about 3 hours ago, would you be willing to submit to some field sobriety tests just to make sure you're okay to drive? And if you're if you pass the test, you're good to go. >> Uh not really. I'm not drunk or it's not like I'm drunk. No, I know, but like when I was approaching you, I saw you go over the solid line a couple times. Just want to make sure you're good to go. >> It wasn't a couple times, officer. It was one time. I told y'all went over about a foot and I backed back up. >> It was on uh It was right on the Lancaster and Armor right here. Yeah, but I I'm trying to I'm in the middle of an order. Like if I back out this video, like I'm literally on an order. So, the sobriety >> of your time. Yeah, I'm okay, officer. >> want to make sure you're good, all right? Yeah, I'm good, officer. Field sobriety tests are typically voluntary. Refusal alone does not automatically establish impairment, and officers must rely on observable indicators to justify further detention. Yes, sir. You're not going to submit to No, it's going to take too much time. I'm in the middle I'm in the middle of an order. All right. Like I respect your job, and like I said, I'm I come up here every single day. I do I do No, I know, but that's what I'm saying. Like if I had more time, maybe I would have entertained it, but not today, officer. I got to go. You'll see me after this cuz like I said, I come up and down Lancaster all morning. Yeah. Till like 5:00, 6:00 a.m. All right. I'll be right back, all right? Appreciate it. They trying to violate my rights. They trying to do me a sobriety test. So, let's see now what they want to come up with. What's the reason? Cuz I already feel like they're going to try to take me out the car. Which is illegal. All right, sir. So, since I did see a couple moving uh violations You're saying a couple, and and we only spoke about the one, officer. >> you about the one. I just told you about the one right here, right? Yeah, the one where I took Can y'all get the light on my eyes cuz I got this one, and then I got you with the flashlight. So, two two things. You keep saying multiple infractions. >> I told you, so like I said, at the at Church and Lancaster >> Again, what I what I what I was going to say was I stopped 6 in, a half a foot past the line, and I just reversed. You're saying you think I'm impaired because I smoked marijuana as a patient 3 hours ago. I know, but even as a patient, you can't smoke and drive. >> I didn't smoke and drive. That's what I'm saying. I was home. >> Here, the officer begins to rely on past marijuana use as justification. However, without clear signs of impairment, prior use alone may not meet the legal threshold for reasonable suspicion. I was home. But then you drove within those 3 hours. There's no limit on how much time you can smoke and then drive. It's not like I'm drinking and I have alcohol. You see what I'm saying, officer? Like I'm grown. Like I'm not sitting here trying to make y'all job difficult. I respect you. I respect you. I respect what y'all do. Again, I noticed y'all have all night. I see y'all all night in the parking lots. I understand what y'all do. Trust me. I don't even drive when I'm tired. I literally park up. I was at the Wawa last night and slept for 3 hours. See what I'm saying? I have a daughter, a 3-year-old. You can see my car seat. Sometimes I'm with her. You see what I'm saying? >> Yeah. Just out here, got a messed up truck with the engine, driving to make my money, make sure my daughter cool, make sure I can pay my bills. I got a company that's a legit company. Yep. So, I advertise my company. I'm not out here, you know, disrespecting the law. I'm not out here with drugs or weapons. I know what y'all want to find, but that's not what I got. You know, just because, you know, you see somebody, they might have smoked a little marijuana. I know a 68-year-old white lady that smokes marijuana. You see what I'm saying? And she drives. You see what I'm saying? So, I'm not doing nothing illegal. I feel like y'all singling me out. If I back out this video, I'll show you I'm in the middle of a delivery. >> trying to single you out, man. I promise you. That's how I'm feeling. I'm sorry you feel that way, but I need you to step out of the vehicle for right now, okay? For what? Cuz we're going to do some sobriety testing on you. I told y'all [clears throat] I don't want to do sobriety tests. >> I'm telling you you have to step out of the vehicle and do it. First you asked me, now you're telling me. Yeah, I was asking you if you'd be willing to do it. And I said no. >> Now, there's I told you about the one on Lancaster and Church when you went over the line just a little bit. >> That's a traffic That's That's the That's the traffic violation, sir. >> that's a moving violation, right? Yeah. And then you had one on uh Armor and Avenue and Lancaster right here when you went over the >> You see, now you're talking about two different things. >> that earlier. We said one thing originally. >> on the original I have it recorded, officer. This is >> fine. You can hear me say multiple times. We said the one, and I told y'all I backed up a half a foot. So, now you're saying I had two. like marijuana. That's why you need to step out of the vehicle. >> to give me a ticket, give me a ticket. As far as >> of the vehicle. For what, officer? >> the sobriety testing. Come on. I don't want to do a sobriety test, officer. >> to do it. Well, can you call the sergeant, then? I can do that. Thank you. Yeah. 20-15? 20-15. What is that? I'm not even trying to make y'all job difficult, but it's like racial profiling. >> You got your chance to come out when I drove and stopped. I will speak to the supervisor. All right, sir. So, now there's a couple violations. On top of that, now they asked me if I want to do sobriety tests, but now they're telling me I have to get out to do a sobriety test. For a moving violation. And it's cold. Cold for 3:00 in the morning. Like, come on, bro. In the middle of a delivery. Ridiculous. I'mma put my windows up cuz it's cold. Y'all obviously can see. No, it's all right. You You can give me that for right now. Huh. This is ridiculous. Two moving violations. First you asked me, and now you want to You want to tell me I have to come out. Make no sense. That's how y'all do it, though. >> Well, the thing is, if you pass the sobriety test, you're you're free to leave. I'm free to leave now. I'm supposed to just have tickets. No, you're not. >> You're supposed to just run my stuff and give me tickets. Why not? So, you keep So, you're keeping me detained? Yes. For what? Because I want to make sure you're safe to drive. >> I'm telling you I'm safe to drive. >> admitted to me you smoked marijuana 3 3 hours ago. >> Yeah. And how long does it stay in your system? How long? About 4 hours. >> [laughter] >> You're a medical mari uh medical marijuana professional. >> I've had a couple arrests because of marijuana. >> Bro, that that stays in your in your system for longer than that, bro. And and you don't want to be Come on, bro. You You don't even know what you're talking about. No, you can't. You don't even know what I smoked. I don't My dose is only two drags. Two drags only last a hour. Trust me. If I would have been If I would have been smoked cool now, I would have been way more calm. [clears throat] Y'all messing with my anxiety. Y'all got the lights on me. You got light in my face. You got that light in my face. It's cold. You got him I don't know what he's doing. What's your name and badge number? Officer Joseph Fairchild, badge number 38. What's your name and badge number? Watson, badge number 73. Thank you. Huh. >> So you just going to keep your light in my face? Yeah. Nice. Well, I'm going to put my windows halfway up cuz it's cold. Uh you rolled the windows down? No. Roll windows back up. You could see, I could see. It's cold. >> let me see your hands. Give me your Give me your other hand. Thank you. Cuz at this point y'all are harassing me. >> My supervisor's on the way, all right? Yeah, I'll wait. I'm going to take my seat belt off cuz I don't feel safe at this point. Just took my seat belt off. I'm hot, bro. Can I get my paperwork, please? Uh it's in the car right now. Doing Doing what? Collecting dust? Yeah. Field sobriety test. For weed? When they supposed to just give me a ticket? Give me a ticket for whatever you want. Field sobriety test. How the hell you even do a field sobriety test for for marijuana? Can you explain that? Maybe I'll do it. So you have the normal field sobriety test, right? Nope. >> so that's for standard DUIs, usually alcohol impairment, right? Then you have what's called ARIDE. That's what tests for You're not answering my question. I just explained it, right? So we have the ARIDE which tests for impairment marijuana. Again, you ain't telling me what's the test. What do you do? How do you test for marijuana is what I'm asking. The other officer's going to do the performance assessment, all right? Who? You just wanted to do it. Yeah, but >> So ask him. So ask him what what what's the what's the what's the field sobriety test for marijuana, officer? How do y'all see it? Somebody is impaired, so impaired, so high that he can't drive. There's several There's several steps. >> I'm asking. You want me to do it when he when he first asked me, now he's telling me. So what's the difference? How you go from asking to telling me? So what's the test, officer? There's several. There's the Romberg balance test. For weed? Mhm. A balance test. Mhm. You know you're not supposed to hold me for a certain amount of time on a traffic violation, right? Okay. I'll let you know now I'm one of them that know my rights. A traffic stop must remain limited in scope and duration. Extending the stop without new articulable facts can raise Fourth Amendment concerns regarding unlawful detention. What's up? Who's that? I said I know my rights, officer. Okay. I'm glad. You should know your I'm [ __ ] freezing, like 3:00 in the morning. [ __ ] sober as can be talking about I'm impaired. Just cuz they think they're going to find something. This should be Oh, it was my anxiety, bro. Y'all Y'all got me hot today. But it's cool. What do you have anxiety about? I got anxiety, period. Dealing with y'all, dealing with everything, life itself. What, you're a doctor now, too? What's up? What, you're a counselor, a doctor, or something? Trying to make conversation. No, I don't want to conversate. All right. I want my paperwork. Okay. And I want a supervisor. I asked where he at. Yeah, no, he's on his way. Okay. You could get that flashlight out of my face. Yeah. You bored today. Yeah, cuz now you got me mad. You bored today. Make sure you're on YouTube tomorrow. Okay. This is the show I was waiting for, y'all. Told y'all it was going to happen. >> [snorts] >> What do you think you're going to find some guns or something? What you think you got a big one? Nope. Stopping a hard working business owner that's DoorDash in at 3:00 in the morning cuz y'all don't got nothing else to do. I see y'all pulling people over all the time. I'm a law-abiding citizen. I ain't on probation, parole, nothing. Y'all want to [ __ ] with me. [ __ ] crazy. What is real criminals out here? I'm not doing it to mess with you. I'm merely doing it to make sure you're okay to drive. And I'm telling you I'm okay. I know you're saying that, but What you mean? So you calling me a liar? No, I'm saying I just want to make sure. I'm in the middle of a DoorDash, sir, and you're holding me up. I want to go. Okay. Well, my supervisor's on the I don't want your supervisor. I want to go. Well, you're not You're not free to So you're keeping me detained? Yes. For for a moving violation? For multiple. First it was one, so how many moving violations? How many? I told you two. So what were they? Tell me. Tell the camera. Requests for a supervisor often occur when a citizen disputes the legality of a stop. Supervisors are expected to assess whether continued detention is justified. Like I said, it's church. What was the moving violation, sir? Like I said, it's a solid red light. Mhm. >> solid white line. A white line? Right. Okay. And you drove past Ardmore and Lancaster. Right? Mhm. As you're driving through there, you run over a solid solid Lies. Lies. It's not lies. Lies. And I'm supposed to have a ticket and be going by now. Hey, how you doing? Hey, Sarge. Let me put the window down for y'all. It was in here cold. That's fine. I'm sorry to keep you waiting. Okay. Yes, sir. What's your name and badge number? It's Eckert, E C K E R T. My badge number is 209. Okay, so can you let me know why I'm here still here for a moving violation? He told me I stopped. Uh literally it was like a half a foot by the line, backed up a little bit. It was one when he first came up. That's what he said. Now he's telling me it's multiple. Now he's telling me he want to do a sobriety test. He asked me, I told him no, I'm in the middle of a DoorDash. Now he's coming back telling me I have to. So what are we doing here, Sarge? Well, I just got here. I didn't get to speak with you yesterday, all right? >> brother. So I I only talked to you thus far. If it's okay, I'll speak with him. I'll try to figure out what's the the context of everything and then come up and speak to you again. Is that okay? Yes, sir. >> All right, perfect. Thank you. >> [crying] >> Let me lower this window for you, boss. Talk to me. Officer explained to me that he saw two different moving violations. >> Yes, sir. One was that you went over the solid line. Initially we spoke on one and then he brought up two. Yeah. And then he brought up the other one regarding stopping in front of the wall. Which wasn't the case, but The other thing that he said to me, um I told him I smoked marijuana three three hours ago, right? Told him I gave him my patient card, right? He says, "Oh, oh, do you want to take a field sobriety test?" I said, "No." I said, "If I didn't have this DoorDash, I would have entertained it, right?" Boom. Then he comes back. He says, "I have to take it." I said, "I don't have to take it." I said, "You're telling me you're trying to help me out." I don't need no help. I smoked weed my whole life before it was illegal. You see what I'm saying? Now that is legal, I'm a patient. I have anxiety. Like that's my PTSD. So it's like you can't sit here and try to act like you going to get a case on me when you don't have nothing. If you're going to give me the tickets, give me the tickets so I could go, but don't sit Don't have me sitting here in the middle of a DoorDash here harassing me. I told him I come up in Atlanta cash out every night, like literally for three months I've been DoorDash in out here. Money is good. It's not like you have to go in apartment buildings and stuff like that. I have my own company. I see that. Yeah, legitimate license and insurance. I pay insurance. I got $3 million coverage. I have a daughter who's 3 years old, like I'm not out here [ __ ] with y'all. I'm not a drug dealer. I'm not a shooter. I'm not somebody that's, you know, No, I'm 33 years old. I'm grown. I You know, I made my mistakes in life and I'm just out here trying to DoorDash. I just feel like he's harassing me and I don't think that's okay because I didn't do nothing wrong. So if he's going to give me a ticket, then he could just give it to me, but I don't want to take a test. I'm in the middle of a DoorDash. Maybe tomorrow I'll take it for y'all. All right. But you do understand the legitimacy of the stop, correct? Yeah, I just don't understand the legitimacy of having to get out of my car and take a sobriety test when I first told him no. That's all, Sarge. You know that's not right. Um regarding the marijuana, you said you have a medical marijuana card? Yeah. Did you provide that? I gave him everything. Okay. In what manner do you ingest marijuana? I smoke it and I I told him I smoked like three hours ago. He says, "Oh, well, you could He says the legal amount is four hours." I said, "There's no legal time on weed." He's telling me four hours. I got him on camera saying four hours, bro. Two drags is not going to last me 4 hours. Like I wish I was high right now. I could have been chilling like this. Did you know you're not supposed to smoke it though, right? What you mean? Is it They sell it as a as a leaf. So, you put it on a on a bowl. You see what I'm saying? So, in the end of the day, no matter how I ingest it, you can't How are you trying to get me on telling me that I'm >> saying that you are. What I'm saying is the manner in which you're taking it. Now we're just getting into Now we're just getting into another topic. You see what I'm saying? >> I don't see any indicators of impairment on you. Me neither. I don't see it in your Me neither. >> However, the supervisor's acknowledgement of no visible impairment is significant as it directly relates to whether there was sufficient legal basis to continue a DUI investigation. I had a light in my face for for 15 minutes, 20 minutes. I asked him to to turn it off. He said, "No." Like he's being rude, and I just don't think it's okay. I and I know y'all job. You still got a flashlight in my face when I already have a flashlight in my face. And it's like I want to respect y'all job. Like I respect authority so much that I'm a law-abiding citizen. So, for me to sit here, like I said, any other time we're even drinking, I get it. But come on, bro. I've been doing this for too long. Like I I know my rights, brother. Like I'm not going to be sitting here, you know, wasting y'all time. I just don't want to make a show. I got to make sure I'm safe. I I know them cameras don't only go but so far. So, I got to record, you know? I put my keys on the dash. What I say, "Officer, left my keys on the dash." Like I'm trying to be respectful. I'm trying like if y'all going to give me the tickets, cool. Like I understand. But to try to do all that, ask me, and now try to bully me. >> why we're still here and you're talking is because you keep talking to me. >> All right. Say no more. Thank you. To finish the traffic stop, we can more than welcome to That's all right. Well, I don't want to get out and do no tests. Okay. Thank you, sirs. Like come on, bro. I know my rights. [ __ ] all that. Sirs know it. Sirs know it. Sirs telling him now, "If y'all want to get out, leave him the [ __ ] alone. What the [ __ ] you bothering for?" Sirs, your information back, all right? Driver's license and American marijuana card in there. Okay. All right. So, I'm not giving you a ticket. I'm giving you what's called a faulty equipment notice, okay? What that mean? So, basically that gives you 2 weeks to provide this the corrections that need to be made, all right? So, basically uh you got to take that license plate tail license plate cover off so that your license plate is viewable, okay? >> saying it's not viewable. So, I'm going to step out and look at this real quick. Thank you. Yep. Because now he's saying my license plate not viewable. You can move that light, please. Thank you. You don't have to put the light. No, I'm doing it. You don't have to put the light, sir, because you don't have a flashlight. >> belongings, you can get back in your vehicle, all right? Listen, excuse me. So, I'll cover the light. I had two lights that worked. He's trying to flash it. I don't know what So, I don't know that's his high beam. I don't know how he can't see it. The tail light what? >> You said the tail light was off? >> Get in your vehicle. I'm asking what was wrong. Did you see the cover on there? The the license plate? The license plate is not allowed to be covered like that. So, it's not supposed to be covered with this because you say you can't see it. That's what you say? Yeah. Cuz your license plate can't see it. You couldn't see it when I drove by. >> No, I can't read it. Sir, get over here. Get back in your vehicle. Sir, I'm not being detained. You don't have to rush me like that. >> How am I still detained for two moving violations? Do you want your sergeant to come back out, sir? It doesn't matter. Get back in your What you mean it doesn't matter? [clears throat] You're supposed to listen to me. I was getting I'm supposed to listen Sir, I was getting a recording. I was getting a recording of my license plate. Look at him. Bucking up. Get back in your vehicle. Cuz he mad. Look at him. Cuz I'm detained, right? Yes, you still are. I'm not >> I'm still detained. Look at him. All right. So, you have 2 weeks to take that off and provide proof that you took it off. Mhm. You also did not provide me your insurance. So, How I didn't give you your insurance? You just gave me my insurance registration and my That's your registration and your paperwork. Bro, you never you never said my insurance wasn't in the paperwork. When did you say my insurance wasn't in the paperwork? Cuz it's right here. We're not doing that. So, you're not >> wrote it. Listen, bro. All you got to do is get Listen, we're not doing that. We're not doing that. Look. Take a picture of it. Insurance. He did not want it. I asked you to go back to your video. You'll see Look. Look at his face. >> You can email this at fienlaw.com. He mad cuz he wanted to come in my car, and I ain't let him. Look at him. You can take a picture, all Yeah, I know. You my Yep. Bye. Have a good one. Yep. Be safe. Be safe. 30 30 30 minutes for 35 minutes for a traffic stop, [ __ ] This encounter highlights key Fourth Amendment principles governing traffic stops. While the initial stop may have been justified by minor traffic violations, extending the detention required independent articulable suspicion of impairment. The driver's admission of past marijuana use, without observable signs of impairment, raises questions about whether that legal threshold was met. Additionally, the supervisor's acknowledgement of no visible impairment further underscores the importance of objective evidence in DUI investigations. Understanding these constitutional limits is essential as prolonged detention without proper justification can violate protected rights.