State of Idaho v. Jade Tayler Budd

── State of Idaho v. Jade Tayler Budd ── Court: Idaho Court of Appeals Date: May 20, 2026 Category: General IN THE COURT OF APPEALS OF THE STATE OF IDAHO Docket No. 51060 STATE OF IDAHO, ) ) Filed: May 20, 2026 Plaintiff-Respondent, ) ) Melanie Gagnepain, Clerk v. ) ) THIS IS AN UNPUBLISHED JADE TAYLER BUDD, ) OPINION AND SHALL NOT ) BE CITED AS AUTHORITY Defendant-Appellant. ) ) Appeal from the District Court of the First Judicial District, State of Idaho, Kootenai County. Hon. Barry McHugh, District Judge. Judgment of conviction for possession of a controlled substance, affirmed. Erik R. Lehtinen, State Appellate Public Defender; Kiley A. Heffner, Deputy Appellate Public Defender, Boise, for appellant. Hon. Raúl R. Labrador, Attorney General; T. Michael MacEgan, Deputy Attorney General, Boise, for respondent. ________________________________________________ LORELLO, Judge Jade Tayler Budd appeals from his judgment of conviction for possession of a controlled substance. We affirm. I. FACTUAL AND PROCEDURAL BACKGROUND An officer and his K-9 partner were near the interstate when the officer observed a vehicle containing two occupants, both with sunken cheek bones. The officer followed the vehicle onto the interstate and observed the vehicle touch the left fog line and fail to signal for five seconds before changing lanes. While attempting to stop the vehicle, the officer observed that the driver was taking longer than normal to completely stop. In addition, the officer witnessed furtive movements by the passenger, where it appeared she dove in front of her seat and then leaned over 1 the console. These movements caused the officer to believe the occupants of the vehicle may have weapons or contraband. After the vehicle stopped, the officer approached in front of the right passenger door. Budd, the driver, was identified by his driver’s license. The officer told Budd the reason for the stop and asked him for the vehicle’s registration and proof of insurance. The officer noticed that Budd had glassy eyes, sunken cheekbones, droopy eyelids, and facial tremors. Budd claimed he could not provide the registration and proof of insurance because he had just purchased the vehicle. The officer also observed a large torch lighter in the driver’s door panel of the vehicle. The officer asked the passenger why she leaned over the console when Budd stopped the vehicle. The passenger indicated that she was attempting to give Budd a hug. Based on the above circumstances, the officer had both occupants exit the vehicle. The officer stated he was going to have the K-9 perform an open-air sniff. Budd consented to the search but declined the opportunity to roll up the vehicle’s window before the search. As a result, the K-9 was able to put his head inside the vehicle. As Budd was exiting the vehicle, he informed the officer he had a firearm in the vehicle. The officer searched Budd. Before having Budd and the passenger walk away from the vehicle, the officer received a response from dispatch notifying the officer that Budd’s driver’s license was suspended. When asked if there were drugs and/or paraphernalia in the vehicle, Budd responded that the vehicle was not his. During the search, the K-9 alerted to the presence of drugs and/or paraphernalia after sniffing the seam between the passenger door and window. The officer placed Budd in handcuffs and another officer arrived at the scene.