Asked 2/13/2016 – Addison, TX

I was pulled over with my boyfriend in the passenger seat one night and was told it was because he ran my tags and my car came back with a “regional warrant”. He runs my license — finds no warrant (my dad is the title holder to my car, BTW — NOT ME). He asked my BFs info and arrests him then and there. He searches my car (non-consentually) and finds a little sack of methamphetamine in my car and immediately arrests me as well. The warrant my BF was arrested for was for probation violation from MONTHS prior, and the original charge happened before we had even met (not in my car whatsoever). We kept asking what/who the warrant was for and the cop kept replying “Don’t know just a warrant” over and over. No answers. I am a W/F & BF is a B/M and the cop was orig. traveling south & i, north – he busted a b*tch at the next light he hit and didn’t even pull me over until a good half a mile up the road after that..

Answer

Yes, a car can come back with a warrant. All police cars nowadays are equipped with computers. While on patrol, license plate numbers can be entered into the system, and if the registered owner of the vehicle has an outstanding warrant, the computer will respond with a “regional hit”, which then gives the officer the right to stop the vehicle and detain the occupants. Please contact a local attorney; you will both have to appear in court and respond to the allegations.