People v. Gorrin CA1/3

DISCUSSION

The sole issue on appeal is whether the trial court in the dirk case erred in denying Gorrin’s motion to suppress evidence of the weapon, which he asserts was obtained as part of an unlawful detention. A. Additional Facts At the suppression hearing, Lake County Sheriff’s Office Deputy Demetrius Donaldson testified that on February 14, 2020, around 10 a.m., he was patrolling the area of Highway 20 and the Nice-Lucerne cutoff when he observed a man, later identified as Gorrin, inside the central island of the traffic circle, or roundabout. The island was elevated about 8 inches off the road with no walkways or marked pedestrian crosswalks to access it. It was uncommon for pedestrians to be on the island, which large vehicles occasionally drove over to manage sharp turns onto the converging roads. Donaldson thought Gorrin was in harm’s way and could possibly be struck by a vehicle. Donaldson parked his patrol car on the island, or the “inner shoulder” of the roundabout. The car was parked in such a way that Gorrin would still be able to walk in three other directions. Donaldson activated his emergency lights to prevent being hit by another vehicle. Donaldson…