State v. DeBooy

In State v. DeBooy, 2000 UT 32, 996 P.2d 546, the Court emphasized that the only purposes checkpoints are permitted to advance are those directly related to highway safety. "Magistrate authorization of checkpoints must be narrowly tailored and limited to inquiries directly linked to the safe use of the highways. . . . Multi-purpose, general warrant like intrusions on the privacy of persons using the highways are unacceptable." Id. In DeBooy, the defendant was charged with possession of contraband after drugs were discovered during a consensual search of his vehicle at a highway checkpoint. The checkpoint at issue was, as here, a multiple purpose vehicle checkpoint where officers were authorized to conduct a half-dozen independent checks. In our decision reversing the denial of DeBooy's motion to suppress, the Court held that such multiple purpose checkpoints were unacceptable under the Utah Constitution.