Jeep

Pittsburgh Outdoor Travelers

Home

Wheeling, Biking, Angling, Hiking, Camping, Caving, Paddling, Drinking

            In U.S., Appellee v. John F. Trullo, the appellant is appealing a guilty conviction of possession of cocaine with intent to distribute. He argues that during the incident the officers did not have the articulable suspicion required to stop him, the probable cause to draw their guns and subsequently arrest him, and lastly the reason to frisk him. 

            The incident can be briefly described as the following.  Two officers and one DEA agent were patrolling a high drug area in Boston.  They observed a parked car with Trullo behind the wheel.  A man approached the passenger door, briefly conversed with Trullo and got into the car.  The car then drove a couple blocks and parked.  The officers followed.  Trullo and the other man conversed briefly again, before the other man exited the car and walked away.  One officer pursued the other man while the other two officers approached the car, ordered Trullo out and executed a “terry-type frisk.”  Trullo was found to be in possession of an illegal weapon (a knife).  I believe this was key, although the experience of the officers (28 years combined), the area they were in, and the observed actions of Trullo could lead to a totality of circumstances which would permit a reasonable search of Trullo, the fact that he was in possession of an illegal weapon solidified it.  Upon further search cocaine was found on Trullo as well as in the trunk of his car. 

 

 

            In Fiore,Silvestri,Garafola, and the town of Westerly, Rhode Island, Appellees V. Flowers, the appellant is appealing a judgement in favor of the officers who stopped him while driving one night in 2001.  During this night, officer Fiore received a complaint from Nunzio Gaccione who believed two African-American men driving a small gray or black car were being sent to his house with a gun to settle a dispute with his grandson.  After logging the complaint Fiore took a post at an intersection about a half mile from Gaccione’s home.  Roughly thirty minutes later Fiore noticed a small gray car driven by a single black male pass by him.  Fiore follows the car which incidentally is driving towards Gaccione’s home. 

            Fiore pulls the car over and calls for backup.  When two more officers arrive, Fiore orders Flowers out of the car by gunpoint.  They handcuff, frisk and place Flowers in the back of one of the cruisers.  The officers then proceeded to search Flowers car and found nothing.  Flowers was then released with no apology.  During this trial there were reasonable explanations given to most all of Flowers allegations.  You cannot fault the officers for attempting to prevent the possibility of a violent crime.  However, I believe the situation could have been handled better.  Once Flowers was handcuffed, there was no reason to hastily start searching his car.  Even though he may have originally “fit the description,” with a little police-work it shouldn’t have taken Fiore much effort to gather he had the wrong person.

Western Pennsylvania Outdoor Directory

City

Frick park

English Lane - Squirrel Hill - (412)422-6550

Hiking - Biking

Highland Park

off Highland Ave. - Highland Park - (412)665-3633

Fishing - Hiking - Biking

Riverview Park

Perrysville Ave. - North Side - (412)323-7209

Hiking - Biking

Schenley Park

Schenley Dr. - Oakland - (412)622-6904

Fishing - Hiking - Biking - Skiing(cc)

 

County

Boyce Park

Allegheny County

675 Old Frankstown Rd. - Plum - (724)327-0338

Hiking - Biking - Skiing

Brady's Run Park

Beaver County

526 Brady's Run Road - Beaver Falls - (724)846-5600

Boating - Fishing - Hiking - Horseback

Bridgeport Dam Park

Westmoreland County

Rt. 31 - Mt. Pleasant Twp. - (724)830-3950

Boating - Fishing - Hunting

Cedar Creek Park

Westmoreland County

off Rt. 51 - Belle Vernon - (724)929-4352

Boating - Fishing - Hunting - Hiking - Biking - Skiing

Chestnut Ridge Park

Westmoreland County

Rt. 31 - Mt. Pleasant Twp. - (724)830-3950

Boating - Fishing - Hunting

Cross Creek Park

Washington County

Rt. 50 - Rey - (724)228-6867

Boating - Fishing - Hunting - Hiking

Economy Park

Beaver County

Rt. 989 - Economy - (724)846-5600

Hiking - Biking - Horseback

Mammoth Park

Westmoreland County

Rt. 982 south - Mammoth - (724)830-3950

Fishing - Hunting - Biking

Mingo Creek Park

Washington County

Rt. 136 - Eighty Four - (724)228-6867

Fishing - Hunting - Hiking - Biking - Horseback - Camping

North Park

Allegheny County

Pearce Mill Rd. - Hampton Twp. - (412)961-0556

Boating - Fishing - Hiking

Northmoreland Park

Westmoreland County

Markie Rd. - Allegheny Twp. - (724)727-7616

Boating - Fishing - Hunting - Hiking - Biking - Horseback - Skiing

Old Hanna's Town

Westmoreland County

Rt. 119 - Hempfield Twp. - (724)836-1800

South Park

Allegheny County

Buffalo Dr. - South Park - (412)835-4810

Hiking - Biking

Twin Lakes Park

Westmoreland County

off Rt. 30 - Unity Twp. - (724)837-8611

Boating - Fishing - Hunting - Hiking - Skiing(cc)

State

Beaver Creek State Park

12021 Echodell

East Liverpool - Ohio - (330)385-3091

Boating - Fishing - Hunting - Hiking - Biking - Horseback - Camping

Blue Knob State Park

124 Park Rd.

Imler - PA - (814)276-3576

Fishing - Hunting - Hiking - Biking - Horseback - Skiing - Camping

The Cook Forest State Park

Rt. 36

Cooksburg - PA - (814)744-8407

Fishing - Hunting - Hiking - Horseback - Skiing - Camping

Coopers Rock State Forest

Rt. 1

Bruceton Mills - West Virginia - (304)594-1561

Fishing - Hunting - Hiking - Biking - Skiing(cc) - Camping

Deep Creek Lake State Park

898 State Park Rd.

Swanton - Maryland - (301)387-5563

Boating - Fishing - Hunting - Hiking - Biking - Camping

Keystone State Park

off Rt. 22

Derry - PA - (724)668-2939

Boating - Fishing - Hunting - Hiking - Biking - Skiing(cc) - Camping

Kooser State Park

943 Glades Pike

Somerset - PA - (814)445-8673

Fishing - Hiking

Laurel Ridge State Park

Rt. 653

Rockwood - PA - (724)455-3744

Hunting - Hiking - Skiing(cc)

Linn Run State Park

Linn Run Rd.

Rector - PA - (724)238-6623

Fishing - Hunting - Hiking - Biking - Horseback - Skiing

Moraine State Park

225 Pleasant Valley Rd.

Portersville - PA - (724)368-8811

Boating - Fishing - Hunting - Hiking - Biking - Horseback - Skiing

Ohiopyle State Park

Rt. 381

Ohiopyle - PA - (724)329-8591

Boating - Fishing - Hunting - Hiking - Biking - Skiing(cc) - Camping

Point State Park

101 Commonwealth Place

Pittsburgh - PA - (412)471-0235

Fishing

Presque Isle State Park

Rt. 832

Erie - PA - (814)833-7424

Boating - Fishing - Hiking - Skiing

Prince Gallitzin State Park

966 Marina Rd.

Patton - PA - (814)674-1000

Boating - Fishing - Hunting - Hiking - Horseback - Skiing(cc) - Camping

Pymatuning State Park

2660 Williamsfield Rd.

Jamestown - PA - (724)932-3141

Boating - Fishing - Hunting - Hiking - Camping

Raccoon Creek State Park

3000 State Rt. 18

Hookstown - PA - (724)899-2200

Boating - Fishing - Hunting - Hiking - Skiing - Camping

Savage River Complex

(includes Casselman bridge, New Germany, Big Run State Parks

& Savage River State Forest)

349 Headquarters Ln

Grantsville - Maryland - (301)895-5453

Boating - Fishing - Hunting - Hiking - Biking - Skiing - Camping

 

National

Allegheny National Forest

222 Liberty St.

Warren - PA - (814)723-5150

Boating - Fishing - Hunting - Hiking - Biking - Horseback - Skiing - Camping

Monongahela National Forest

200 Sycamore St.

Elkins - West Virginia - (304)636-1800

Boating - Fishing - Hunting - Hiking - Biking - Horseback - Skiing - Camping