Could this have been entrapment?

[jsim1]

What is the name of your state? RI

I was driving home from a bar at approximately 1 am in the morning this weekend. I had only 2 beers over the course of several hours, so I wasn't intoxicated. The road I was on is notorious for police because it passes by the URI campus, so I set my cruise control at 27, where the speed limit was 25. I passed through a speed trap but neither cop pulled out (one was already giving someone a ticket.) About a half mile down the road I looked in my rear view mirror and I realized that a cop was tailgating me so closely that I couldn't see his headlights. About another half mile down the road, I turned onto a different highway where the speed limit was 40 mph. I sped up to the speed limit, but the officer was still following me. At this point I wasn't sure if he was trying to pass me because his lights weren't on, so I pulled over to let him go by. However, he just stayed in the road stopped. Since he didn't pass me I pulled back out on the highway and took the next right down a small road. The officer continued to follow me. I was so nervous that I pulled down the nearest dirt road, not knowing what it was. It turns out that it was a driveway, but I couldn't backtrack at this point. The cop kept going, so I pulled all the way up behind a set of trees and shut my car off. To my surprise, I saw the officer's lights through the woods and realized that he had followed me up. However, I was so far up that he didn't see me and turned around and left. The whole time he had never put his lights on for me to pull over. After I let some time elapse, I returned home. Now, I know that if I wasn't doing anything wrong, I should have just kept going, but I was so nervous. After I pulled up the driveway I thought that he might be able to arrest me for trespassing. Is this legal for officers to do? I feel like I was profiled and that an officer wouldn't have done that if I was elderly.

[LawGirl10]

Originally Posted by jsim1

What is the name of your state? RI

I was driving home from a bar at approximately 1 am in the morning this weekend. I had only 2 beers over the course of several hours, so I wasn't intoxicated. The road I was on is notorious for police because it passes by the URI campus, so I set my cruise control at 27, where the speed limit was 25. I passed through a speed trap but neither cop pulled out (one was already giving someone a ticket.) About a half mile down the road I looked in my rear view mirror and I realized that a cop was tailgating me so closely that I couldn't see his headlights. About another half mile down the road, I turned onto a different highway where the speed limit was 40 mph. I sped up to the speed limit, but the officer was still following me. At this point I wasn't sure if he was trying to pass me because his lights weren't on, so I pulled over to let him go by. However, he just stayed in the road stopped. Since he didn't pass me I pulled back out on the highway and took the next right down a small road. The officer continued to follow me. I was so nervous that I pulled down the nearest dirt road, not knowing what it was. It turns out that it was a driveway, but I couldn't backtrack at this point. The cop kept going, so I pulled all the way up behind a set of trees and shut my car off. To my surprise, I saw the officer's lights through the woods and realized that he had followed me up. However, I was so far up that he didn't see me and turned around and left. The whole time he had never put his lights on for me to pull over. After I let some time elapse, I returned home. Now, I know that if I wasn't doing anything wrong, I should have just kept going, but I was so nervous. After I pulled up the driveway I thought that he might be able to arrest me for trespassing. Is this legal for officers to do? I feel like I was profiled and that an officer wouldn't have done that if I was elderly.

Yes, it is legal. No, it is not entrapment. They are allowed to follow you and observe your driving.

[Robbie0723]

I hate it when they do that. You need to just keep your cool, be careful and obey the laws.

He probably got your plates and can/will find you if he wants to file an evading charge

[jsim1]

I can understand if an officer thought I was evading if they had their lights on, but that was never the case-- and the driveway I pulled into could have been my own, or I at least could have been visiting (I am registered in CT). I am definitely hoping I don't get something in the mail...

[LawGirl10]

Originally Posted by jsim1

I can understand if an officer thought I was evading if they had their lights on, but that was never the case-- and the driveway I pulled into could have been my own, or I at least could have been visiting (I am registered in CT). I am definitely hoping I don't get something in the mail...

I would say your actions were enough to create reasonable suspicion.

[fedcop110]

I would say your actions were enough to create reasonable suspicion

I agree. It would be enough for me to be suspicious, and I am a pretty reasonable guy.