People v. Superior Court (Meyer)

In People v. Superior Court (Meyer) (1981) 118 Cal. App. 3d 579, a private citizen drove up to a highway patrol officer and informed him that he had just seen a blue Chevy pickup truck with a white camper shell, traveling northbound on the freeway in a reckless manner and that one of the occupants was pointing a gun at other cars. The citizen also provided the officer with a license plate number. ( Meyer, supra, 118 Cal. App. 3d at p. 582.) Shortly thereafter, the officer found the truck traveling northbound on the freeway. After following the truck for three to four minutes, he did not observe any erratic driving, nor did he see the gun. (Ibid.) Nonetheless, the officer initiated a traffic stop. During the course of the stop another officer saw marijuana in plain view in the truck. ( Id. at p. 583.) In concluding the stop and detention were justified, the Second District pointed out that the citizen informant "was acting voluntarily and openly and with no apparent reason to speak falsely." ( Meyer, supra, 118 Cal. App. 3d at p. 584.)