Case Explained: UNITED STATES OF AMERICA Plaintiff – v. ALEXANDER ALONSO GALINDO Defendant –

Court: United States Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit Filed: 2026-08-06 The Fourth Circuit affirmed the denial of Alexander Alonso Galindo’s motion to suppress evidence seized during a traffic stop and subsequent search. The court held that the district court committed no reversible error in finding that the officers had probable cause to initiate the stop based on a violation of West Virginia Code § 17C-3-4(a). Applying de novo review to legal conclusions and clear error review to factual findings, the court determined that Galindo’s failure to provide a timely response at two green lights, including an initial ten-second pause, constituted disobeying official traffic-control instructions. Relying on the standard established in *Whren v. United States* and *United States v. Bowman*, the court ruled that an officer’s decision to stop a vehicle is reasonable where there is probable cause to believe a traffic violation has occurred. Consequently, the conviction for unlawful possession of a firearm as a convicted felon under 18 U.S.C. § 922(g)(1) stands, and the judgment of the district court is affirmed. Do It For The Case Law is a news reporting service. Nothing in this episode constitutes legal advice.