State of Iowa v. Harbach
Annotate this CaseIn Iowa, the defendant, Jesse Jon Harbach, was involved in a single-vehicle rollover accident. Based on observations at the scene, an officer applied for a warrant to draw blood from Harbach. The test revealed methamphetamine but no alcohol. Harbach moved to suppress the evidence from the blood draw, arguing that the officer's claims of smelling alcohol and observing Harbach with bloodshot eyes and slurred speech were false. The district court agreed, suppressing the evidence. The state appealed, and the Supreme Court of Iowa reversed the decision, stating that the officer's observations of the defendant's physical state and the smell of alcohol were sufficient to establish probable cause for the search warrant. The court held that the officer's affidavit did not contain intentionally or recklessly false statements and the remaining content established probable cause for the issuance of the warrant.
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