James Williams and Antonio Kennedy were convicted of the September burglary of a Chevron station in September 2005. Their motions for new trial were denied, and they appeal, enumerating as error the denial of their motions to suppress, the admission of similar transaction evidence, and the general grounds. Finding no error, we affirm. 1. Williams and Kennedy moved to suppress evidence of stolen items found in their vehicle by police at the time of their arrest for an offense introduced by the State as a similar transaction. The trial court denied the motion on the basis that the officers were authorized to search appellants’ vehicle for weapons to ensure their personal safety. In reviewing a trial court’s order on a motion to suppress, we construe the evidence most favorably to uphold the court’s decision. The trial court sits as the trier of fact; its findings are akin to a jury verdict and will not be disturbed if there is any evidence to support them. Stated another way, in the absence of evidence of record demanding a finding contrary to the judge’s determination, the appellate court will not reverse the ruling sustaining a motion to suppress. Citations, punctuation and footnotes omitted. State v. Stephens , 289 Ga. App. 167 657 SE2d 18 2008.1 We may also “consider trial testimony in addition to the testimony submitted during the motion to suppress hearing. Cit.” Smith v. State , 277 Ga. App. 81, 82 n.2 625 SE3d 497 2005.
Viewed in this light, the evidence shows that on October 7, 2005, the Newnan police department responded to a burglary call at a store along Interstate 85 at approximately five o’clock in the morning, when it was still dark. A Coweta County sheriff’s lieutenant heard the alarm call, and decided to check nearby exits for criminal activity because burglars “tend to run the interstate hitting each exit until they get satisfied with what they receive.” He went to the next exit and checked a Chevron gas station that he knew was closed at that hour. The station area was very poorly lit, and he saw an older model Suburban parked in “the darkest corner of the lot” with the hood up and the driver’s side door open. He asked the two men with the Suburban, identified asWilliams and Kennedy, if he could help them, and they told him their motor was overheating.
