Man Claims Police In Other States Are Targeting Colorado Drivers

DENVER (CBS4) – A man says police in other states are targeting Colorado drivers because of the new marijuana laws.

The Colorado man filed a lawsuit against Idaho State Police accusing a trooper of presuming he had marijuana simply because his plates were from Colorado. He claims he was pulled over three times for no apparent reason.

Mark Jennings is another Colorado man who claims he was harassed by Illinois State Police. He was driving to Ohio to take care of his sick father.

"I was stopped three different times. The first time a check, the second time was the actual issue with the inside of my car," said Jennings.

Of his three stops he only received one written warning. At his second stop the officer told him his air freshener was obstructing his view. Jennings said that in itself seemed strange, but when he was asked to get out of his car he knew something else was going on.

"I believe it was either three or four other state troopers pulled up in other vehicles," said Jennings.

Jennings says he waited in the police cruiser for 45 minutes while officers searched his vehicle. He clams they removed everything inside and even ripped off part of his door panel.

"The Colorado license plates didn't hit me until I was sitting in the car and watched the other vehicles pull up. Then at that point I knew for sure it was absolutely them thinking I was taking drugs from Colorado into another state," said Jennings.

When officers didn't find anything he was allowed to go, but just two miles away he was stopped again.

"The third time I had to explain to the officer that his comrades behind me had just searched me," said Jennings.

While Jennings says he was never told what officers were looking for, he's certain it was because of his plates.

"It was actually very traumatic. I just don't want to see anybody else have to go through this," said Jennings.

The Illinois State Police could not be reached for comment.

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