Trooper Isaiah Lloyd, What Was Your Intention When Searching Ms. Wilson?

A Tennessee woman, Patricia Aileen Wilson was stopped by trooper Isaiah Lloyd when she was driving her black pickup truck down Interstate 75 in Campbell County with her mother last August.

Lloyd asked Wilson if she had taken any prescription drugs and instructed her to step out her truck after Wilson responded "No drugs, no alcohol, no nothing." He then searched her with his hands over Wilson's hips and his fingers inside her waistband. At last, Lloyd issued Wilson a seatbelt ticket and let her leave.

Surprisingly, about three hours later, they met again near Wilson's Campbell County home. Lloyd spotted Wilson's truck past him and then pulled her over again, saying, "We have to stop meeting like this." This time he only said that the window tint of the truck was too dark after he spotted Wilson's two children in the car. Wilson was released to go again with no ticket from Lloyd.

Ms. Wilson filed a lawsuit of $100,000 against Lloyd in January 2018. She claimed that Lloyd touched her genital region during the search.

Lloyd's agency declared that Lloyd conducted the traffic stop professionally to secure the motoring public. Lloyd has returned to his job without any punishment.

This incident has stirred up people's anger. Below are angry comments from some of the yahoo readers.

"why would someone have to exit their vehicle and be searched for not wearing a seat belt?" —corwin

"Same vehicle? If the glass was a issue why didn't he say something at the first stop?" —Vet

"thug with a badge. any normal citizen doing the same would be looking at felony sex assault charges." —Mister E

"Filthy cop." —chris

"A cop has never gone this far with me but I have been pulled over for fake reasons that ended in some cop flirting with me. I hate cops who use their position to pick up women, harass us or grope female motorists." — Cheyenne

"window tint too dark? yet he was able to see she wasn't wearing a seat belt...interesting." — CHALO AUTO SALES

There are overwhelmingly such negative attitudes toward Trooper Lloyd.

Tennessee adopted primary Enforcement in its seatbelt laws on April 21, 1986. It allows a police officer to stop and ticket a driver if there is a seatbelt violation.

So, let's take this incident apart to see whether or not it was in a professional manner that Lloyd pulled over Ms. Wilson's truck twice within hours and searched her during first stop.

Drugs, Ambien or Narcotics

Lloyd, why did you search Wilson after she denied to taking "prescription drugs?" Did you spot Ms. Wilson driving her truck in an unusual and dangerous way, e.g. speeding, meandering, or zigzagging?

You just knew that Wilson occasionally takes Ambien to aid her sleep during the search. But Ambien is not a narcotic according to the US Drug Enforcement Administration.

Is it likely that a woman would stash Ambien with her in her bras or shorts all day, even when she's driving? Why didn't you take a look inside her truck where medicines, are more likely placed?

In fact, you found no narcotics on Ms. Wilson. And for the second time you pulled her over, why didn't you search her again, knowing that anything is possible— maybe she had some "prescription drugs" or the Ambien on her that time?

And, if you didn't spot Wilson's two children (age three and eight) in the truck the second time, would you be ready to search her again?

What worried you? What did you fear? Maybe, it's the children's innocence that overshadowed your evil intention and defeated you.

Darkness of Truck Windows

Lloyd, you pulled over Ms. Wilson's truck for the first time according to Tennessee's primary enforcement law, which proved that you observed a seatbelt violation through the truck windows. But you stopped Ms. Wilson again about three hours later and released her without any ticket, only saying the window tint of the truck was too dark, which proved that Wilson was wearing a seatbelt this time and your operation was just completely wrong.

Why didn't you say the truck windows were dark the first time you stopped Ms. Wilson?

So, what's the reason you stopped Wilson for the second time, within hours? Which law applies for you to pull her over again without any tickets?

Trooper Lloyd's agency—Tennessee Highway Patrol—didn't treat Lloyd with any penalty and let him return to duty, only saying that Lloyd had conducted in a professional way in this incident. It's not satisfying and convincing for the public, however, unless Tennessee Highway Patrol:

1. Apologizes to Ms. Wilson on behalf of trooper Isaiah Lloyd. Afterall, he's a member of your office.
2. Proposes some improvements or methods in the future enforcement such as:

Adopting a same sexual searching — policemen for male drivers or suspects and policewomen for female drivers or suspects; or

Utilizing tools (a detector for example) to complete a search.

Anyone who works in law enforcement represents justice and has no rights to abuse your authority or power. You need to be professional and serious to avoid any mistake when conducting enforcement.

Any wrong action or thought out of an enforcement officer is a violation of law itself and goes against the theme of a "Great America" that should include great respect to the ordinary people.

How could we know this story if Ms. Wilson didn't accuse Lloyd officially? Does she need to fuss about that search to the extent of a court claim?

She is the person with the clearest account of what trooper Lloyd had done to her during the search. Anyway, we really appreciate her courage to challenge the authority.