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October 14th, 2004

SUPREME COURT UPHOLDS STATE SEAT BELT LAW

The Washington State Supreme Court issued an opinion today that upholds the state seat belt law. The court issued the opinion in the case of State v. Eckblad, a case that originated in the Skagit County Superior Court. In the opinion written by Justice Chambers seven justices held that the state seat belt law was facially valid and valid as applied to the case of Mr. Eckblad. Justice Sanders authored a two justice dissent.

The case arose from a traffic stop in February of 2003. State Patrol Trooper Meldrum stopped a 1982 pickup truck after he noticed a seat belt dangling near the head of the unseat-belted passenger. That passenger was arrested on warrants and incident to his arrest the vehicle was searched. A 9 mm handgun was located in the vehicle that belonged to another passenger, Trevor Eckblad, a convicted felon. Eckblad was charged with being a felon in possession of a firearm. At a suppression hearing, the trial court ruled that the state seat belt law was unconstitutionally vague because of the difficulty in locating and understanding the text of the federal motor vehicle safety standard that state law referenced. As a result the case against Eckblad was dismissed. Erik Pedersen, Senior Deputy Prosecutor for Skagit County, appealed the trial court decision to the Washington Supreme Court.

In upholding the Washington statute, the court held that the statute was sufficiently precise and that it placed a reasonable person on notice that drivers and passengers must wear seat belts unless exempted. The court noted that Eckblad’s argument was essentially that exemptions of the federal motor vehicle safety standard was too detailed and difficult to find. The court countered that specificity does not render a statue vague.

As a result of this decision, the Skagit County Prosecutor’s Office is encouraging all Skagit County law enforcement agencies to reinstitute enforcement of the mandatory seat belt law.

Erik Pedersen, Senior Deputy Prosecutor for Skagit County, represented the State in the Washington Supreme Court and the Skagit County Superior Court. Mr. Eckblad was represented by Susan Goolsbee of the Skagit County Public Defender’s Office and Eric Weight.

For further information contact: Tom Seguine
Skagit County Prosecuting Attorney
336-9460