Andrew L. Collier was indicted by a DeKalb County grand jury for trafficking in cocaine, possession of cocaine with intent to distribute, and possession of marijuana. After the denial of his motion to suppress and the denial of his application for interlocutory review, Collier consented to a bench trial on the trafficking count with a negotiated recommendation of sentence, based on the testimony elicited in the hearing on the motion to suppress.1 He was found guilty, and his probation from an earlier conviction was revoked. He appeals, contending the trial court erred in denying his motion to suppress. We disagree and affirm. We consider three principles when reviewing a trial court’s ruling on a motion to suppress: First, when a motion to suppress is heard by the trial judge, that judge sits as the trier of facts. The trial judge hears the evidence, and his findings based upon conflicting evidence are analogous to the verdict of a jury and should not be disturbed by a reviewing court if there is any evidence to support those findings. Second, the trial court’s decision with regard to questions of fact and credibility must be accepted unless clearly erroneous. Third, the reviewing court must construe the evidence most favorably to the upholding of the trial court’s findings and judgment. Citations, punctuation and emphasis omitted. Tate v. State , 264 Ga. 53, 54 1 440 SE2d 646 1994. Construed in this light, the evidence shows that a police officer responded to a domestic relations call on Quillian Avenue in DeKalb County. En route to the scene, he was informed that the situation had escalated; he therefore activated the patrol car’s blue lights “to prevent other vehicles from . . . coming in contact or conflicting with our investigation.” After the officer stopped and parked on the street, he saw a vehicle “backing up in the wrong lane of traffic.” He observed the vehicle approach him, stop, and then begin backing up. The officer was approximately 50 yards away from where the vehicle ultimately pulled into a driveway and stopped.
The officer approached the vehicle in his patrol car, got out and asked the driver, Collier, for his driver’s license and insurance card. He informed Collier that he had stopped him for improper backing. The officer then looked into the vehicle and saw in the center console a clear bag containing a white powdery substance that he suspected was powder cocaine. After Collier was arrested and placed in the back of a patrol car, a field test on the substance indicated that it was in fact cocaine. A further search of Collier’s vehicle revealed additional cocaine and a small amount of marijuana.
