Commonwealth v. Salter, 121 A.3d 987

Officer observed vehicle’s license plate illumination was out in the early morning hours.
To confirm, officer drove behind and turned off headlights, observing the plate remained unlit at ~75 feet.
Stop led to driver Salter, who admitted consuming two glasses of wine, with odor of alcohol and glassy, bloodshot eyes observed.
Officer administered four field sobriety tests and arrested Salter for DUI.
Trial court suppressed the BAC result, ruling no probable cause for the stop/arrest; Commonwealth appealed.
Pennsylvania Superior Court reversed, holding probable cause supported the stop and arrest; remanded for proceedings.

Issue	Plaintiff's Argument	Defendant's Argument	Held
Probable cause to stop for unlit plate	Commonwealth argued sufficient probable cause exists from unlit plate.	Salter argued no probable cause; stop invalid without illumination evidence.	Probable cause supported the stop.
Admission of BAC test be admissible	Commonwealth argued BAC test admissible due to valid arrest for DUI.	Salter argued BAC should be suppressed due to lack of probable cause.	BAC admissible; suppression reversed.

Commonwealth v. Feczko, 10 A.3d 1285 (Pa.Super.2010) (settled standards for stop authority under § 6308(b))
Commonwealth v. Enick, 70 A.3d 843 (Pa.Super.2013) (probable cause vs. reasonable suspicion for stops)
Commonwealth v. Brown, 64 A.3d 1101 (Pa.Super.2013) (probable cause required for certain stops)
Commonwealth v. Mobley, 14 A.3d 887 (Pa.Super.2011) (erratic driving not necessary for DUI proof)
Commonwealth v. Ragan, 438 Pa.Super. 505 (Pa.Super.1995) (field sobriety tests admissible as indicia of intoxication)
Commonwealth v. Williams, 941 A.2d 14 (Pa.Super.2008) (probable cause analysis in DUI arrests)
Commonwealth v. Anderson, 302 A.2d 504 (Pa.Super.1973) (probable cause does not require certainty)
Commonwealth v. Spieler, 887 A.2d 1271 (Pa.Super.2005) (probable cause exists when criminality is a reasonable inference)