2012 Wyoming Statutes
TITLE 31 - MOTOR VEHICLES
CHAPTER 5 - REGULATION OF TRAFFIC ON HIGHWAYS
31-5-1204. Authority to make arrest; general arrest procedures; arrest of nonresidents.

(a) The authority of a police officer to make an arrest is the same as upon an arrest for a felony when the officer has reasonable and probable grounds to believe that the person arrested has committed any of the following offenses and the manner of making arrests shall be as in misdemeanor cases:

(i) Negligent homicide or homicide by vehicle;

(ii) Driving or being in actual physical control of a vehicle while under the influence of alcohol or any substance as prohibited by W.S. 31-5-233;

(iii) Failure to stop, failure to give information or failure to render reasonable assistance, in the event of an accident resulting in death or personal injuries as prescribed in W.S. 31-5-1101 and 31-5-1103;

(iv) Failure to stop or give information in the event of an accident resulting in damage to a vehicle or other property as prescribed in W.S. 31-5-1102 through 31-5-1104;

(v) Reckless driving;

(vi) Racing on the highway; or

(vii) Willfully fleeing from or attempting to elude a police officer.

(b) Whenever any person is arrested as authorized in this section he shall be taken without unnecessary delay before the proper court as specified in W.S. 31-5-1205(g), except that in the case of any of the offenses designated in paragraphs (a)(iv) through (vii) of this section, a police officer shall have the same discretion as is provided in other cases in subsection (d) of this section.

(c) Whenever any person is halted by a police officer for any violation of this act, he shall be taken without unnecessary delay before the proper court as specified in W.S. 31-5-1205(g), in any of the following cases:

(i) When the person demands an immediate appearance before a judge; or

(ii) In any other event when the person is issued a traffic citation by a police officer and refuses to give his promise to appear in court manifested by his refusal to accept the citation.

(d) Whenever any person is halted by a police officer for any violation of this act and is not required to be taken before a court as provided by subsection (c) of this section, the person shall, in the discretion of the officer, either be given a traffic citation or be taken without unnecessary delay before the proper judge, as specified in W.S. 31-5-1205(g), in any of the following cases:

(i) When the person does not furnish satisfactory evidence of identity or when the officer has reasonable and probable grounds to believe the person will disregard a promise to appear in court;

(ii) When the person is charged with a violation of W.S. 31-5-959, relating to vehicles transporting hazardous materials;

(iii) When the person is charged with a violation of W.S. 31-18-804.

(e) A police officer who arrests a nonresident of this state for any violation of this act may instead of issuing a traffic citation containing notice to appear in court, take the nonresident without unnecessary delay before the proper court, as specified in W.S. 31-5-1205(g) or pursuant to W.S. 31-5-1205(h) require that the bond be posted in accord with an adopted bond schedule and which may be accepted by the arresting officer for delivery to the court.