A hypothetical question.
A guy is driving a car that has bullet holes in it. The car is safe to drive, isn't leaking, isn't smoking, and his visibility is clear - if this wasn't "bullet holes", it would be a safe car to drive.
Is this legal? Can the police pull him over to ask about them? Can they arrest him? Can they give him a ticket? Does this count as probable cause to search the car and/or run the tags and/or check the driver's license?
(Please preface your answers with your country, and province/state if you think it matters, and if you're a Lawyer, Law Enforcement Professional, Auto Repair Person, or other expert.)
For me, Canadian, Ontario, non-expert: I think if I had an obvious bullet hole in my car I'd get pulled over by every cop who saw it, and they'd run the plates and description until they found an incident report. And if it was an innocent accident of me shooting my own car, that would go in the system AFTER the first time I was pulled over. But I'm not an expert, that's just what I'd assume they'd do.
Is this legal? Can the police pull him over to ask about them? Can they arrest him? Can they give him a ticket? Does this count as probable cause to search the car and/or run the tags and/or check the driver's license?
(Please preface your answers with your country, and province/state if you think it matters, and if you're a Lawyer, Law Enforcement Professional, Auto Repair Person, or other expert.)
For me, Canadian, Ontario, non-expert: I think if I had an obvious bullet hole in my car I'd get pulled over by every cop who saw it, and they'd run the plates and description until they found an incident report. And if it was an innocent accident of me shooting my own car, that would go in the system AFTER the first time I was pulled over. But I'm not an expert, that's just what I'd assume they'd do.