Your ego is insane. Get away from my car, please. Next time I see you Please get away from my car. Please get away from my car. Please get away from my car. Why did you just open my car door? You don't touch somebody's car door. Are you listening to what I'm telling you? I just don't care. No, I don't like cops. that you are right now. don't like you. Where did you go to law school? Did you? I didn't, but You can't open somebody's car door without their consent. Yes. Welcome back to the Lackluster Channel. On February 5th of 2025, Ellis County Audits was involved in a minor collision in a restaurant's drive-thru lane that did not cause damage to either vehicle. The Red Oak Police Department were dispatched to the scene. The driver provided his necessary documents to the officer, T. Rawls, through the passenger window. Officer Rawls requested that the driver roll their window all the way down despite it already being lowered several inches and had already allowed for open communication and the exchange of documents. However, when the driver refused to roll the window down, Officer Rawls opened the passenger door. It was at this point that the driver began recording. Why did you just open my car door? Because you were involved in an accident. Right, but that's an unlawful touch like you don't We can communicate without you opening my car door. you to roll down your window and you didn't roll down your window so I Ma'am, we we can communicate through No, ma'am. You do not touch somebody's car door. Okay. Give me my stuff, please. Thank No. You don't touch somebody's car door. Okay. Without I haven't committed a crime, have I? have You're operating a motor vehicle without insurance and you just got in a crash. Okay. So, uh you have to be able to prove insurance and you to have a reason to open somebody's car door. Yes, I do. I'm conducting an investigation and unlawful. That was unlawful. I'm filing a complaint. you That's fine. You can talk to my sergeant, okay? T. Rawls, badge number? It's on the form I'm about to give you, okay? very un- inappropriate and unprofessional. you feel that way. Listen to me. Contact your insurance, okay? Okay. Next time? I can tell you you've got something going on other than this. No, I don't like cops. that you are right now. like you. That's fine. I don't care if you don't like me. I'm trying to have a nice conversation with you. have had that conversation. I was fine until you opened my car door. Listen. to open somebody's car door without consent. Next time I don't have time to Yes, you do. Yes, you do. You don't need consent to open somebody's car door. Next time you will receive a citation if you are involved in an accident and you cannot prove insurance. You need to call your insurance company. That's fine. And tell them, "Hey, you're not reporting my insurance to the state. When the cop checked my stuff, it's coming up unconfirmed." So, you don't need consent to open somebody's car door. Are you listening to what I'm saying? I'm listening. I just don't care. Cuz next time you don't care that you're showing up to have insurance and you're driving in an accident. I'm going to fix that. I'm more worried about why an why an officer would open somebody's car door without Because I'm trying to talk to you and I'm trying to have an investigation. I'm not talking to you through that. I don't You don't have to It's not your choice. It's my car. You don't touch my car. You do not touch somebody's vehicle property without their consent. No, you cannot. No, you cannot. Okay. I'm sorry you feel that way. No, you cannot. So, you you can open somebody's car door without their consent. Yes. The Fourth Amendment to the US Constitution, which protects against unreasonable searches and seizures, provides strict limitations for law enforcement. And there are very few circumstances in which they have a legal justification to open your vehicle's door. In most jurisdictions, during a routine traffic incident, an officer can ask that you roll your window all the way down, but you have the right to keep it partially opened if you prefer. However, the courts have held that if the officer believes that there is a risk of safety or has reasonable suspicion that criminal activity is taking place, they would then be allowed to open the door. The same principle applies if the officer has probable cause to believe that a crime is being committed, such as seeing an open container or illegal contraband in plain view. And finally, if there are exigent circumstances, such as an immediate need to prevent harm, destruction of evidence, or a suspect fleeing. But, if there is no clear threat or evidence of a crime, the officer would need a valid warrant or your consent to proceed further. When they're not when they are not investigation because you just got in an accident. You don't have insurance. You're lucky you're not getting a citation, dude. I would He simply didn't want to report. That's fine. you begin a citation, dude? That's what I'm saying. You're actively committing an offense of operating a motor vehicle in the public I like my fourth amendment. Oh, that's fine. That's You know, you don't care about the fourth amendment? I'm I'm I'm glad that you like it. I'm not entering your vehicle. You're in it right now. I would like to but Like outside of your vehicle. please? I'm not going to hit you with that. I would like to close my car door. Get back in your seat. Take your car. I can do whatever I want. It's not your car. Thank you. This is public property or private property. I know the owner. I'm friends with the owner. It's still not private property. It is. It's a private parking lot and I know the owner. parking lot. It's a public parking lot. Next time you Fix your insurance. Fix your insurance. Fix your insurance with the law office. Okay. Did you go to law school? Did you? I didn't, but I went to training. up. So, just shut up and get away. Did you go to law school? Can you Can you get away from my car, please? Are you going to fix your insurance? Shut your mouth and get away from my car. No, but you can fix your insurance. your mouth and get away from my car? Listen to me. Put your seatbelt on. Drive away from here. You're not in control of me. Listen to me. Go fix your insurance. Next time you're going to get a citation for your insurance. Ma'am. Make sure you talk to them. Ask them why they're not reporting Are you listening? I don't have to listen to you. Ask them why they're not reporting it Your ego is insane. Get away from my car, please. Next time we see you operating on a roadway Please get away from my car. Please get away from my car. Are you listening how to fix your insurance? Please get away from my car. If we see you operating on a roadway and you can't show proof of insurance Get away from my car. Please get away from my car. Please get away from my car. Yes. Please get away from my car. Learn your job, please. Learn how to do your job. Yeah, learn how to do your job, please. Not very well, you tyrant. Tyrant. Ellis County Audits has told me that following this interaction, he filed a formal complaint and a lieutenant reached out giving Ellis County Audits an opportunity to prove his insurance was legitimate. The lieutenant agreed that the officer's behavior was inappropriate noting that she was a new officer who did not understand that opening a car door is considered a search and seizure based on existing case law. It was noted that the officer would be addressed for her inappropriate opening of the car door and behavior. You have certain protections under the Fourth Amendment against unreasonable search and seizures. And what that means for the police is in order for them to open up your car door without consent, without your permission, they have to have a valid legal reason to be able to do so. When officers open your door, they're expanding their plain view and conducting a search. They can now see into your door panels, under your seat, and otherwise where they couldn't. Hello. Hi, you're not supposed to open my door. Okay, yeah. Hi, how are you? Wait, what? What did you say? I'm not supposed to open the door like that, but yeah. What do you mean you're not supposed to open the door? You're not supposed to open my door. Okay, what law is that? Officers may order you and your passengers to get out of the car, but opening the car door itself is considered a search. This is because even a small intrusion into your vehicle can be seen as an unlawful search under the Fourth Amendment. If an officer opens your car door without a valid reason, it could lead to any evidence found being deemed inadmissible in court. Do you mind if I open the door for a second, okay? What? Just open the door. I'm going to grab my firearm, okay? Why? Because I have to run it just to make sure, okay? Do you have any other firearms in the vehicle that I need to know about? No, but that's You know it's a violation, right? Say it again. You coming in my vehicle is a violation, you know that, right? I'm just letting you know I'm running the serial number on the on the firearm, okay? What What What for? Just to make sure it aligns with the the permit, okay? Is that what you sure that it's registered to you, okay? And And you think that's legal and lawful? Yes, sir. Are you the registered owner of the firearm? I am. You're going outside of the scope of for what you pulled me over. You pulled me over for tint. You write me a ticket for tint. I showed you that I'm legally and lawfully able to do that. You opened my door, which is already a violation. Well, I thought that the door automatically opened when I reached for I thought that you pushed on the side of the door. I did not I did not give you con- consent to enter my vehicle. My My apologies. I thought that when the the door knob opened, that you opened it up for me. That That's incorrect. Okay. It That's a violation, I'm telling you. You know You know what I'm saying? You're not supposed to come in my vehicle. That's All right. Are you okay with me running your serial number? You You have no reason to do that. You pulled me over for tint, sir. So, I'm going to put the firearm back. Are you okay with me Yes. opening your door? Now you can and and put it back where it's supposed to go. There's no reason for all this. With Trooper Smalls returning the firearm to its original location, it would be nearly impossible to argue that its seizure was for officer safety. Be sure to use the links below to check out Ellis County Audits. And while you're down there, leave me a comment to tell me what you think of this interaction. And as always, if you like this video, be sure to check out another one linked on screen.