Should to be interesting to see how this one turns out. A man was arrested in Ohio for having a hidden compartment in a vehicle and could face up to 18 months in prison, even though there was nothing in the compartment. There were no illegal drugs or weapons in the compartment, but Gurley became the first person arrested under the state’s “hidden compartment” law. His lawyer claims that Gurley has no criminal record and the vehicle he was driving was a friend’s and that Gurley had no knowledge of the compartment. The dude may end up being no angel but it shouldn't matter. To me this is a ridiculous law in the first place and the ACLU ought to be all over this one.

The Ohio law passed last year prohibits, “designing, building, constructing, fabricating, modifying, or altering a vehicle to create or add a hidden compartment with the intent to facilitate the unlawful concealment or transportation of a controlled substance, prohibit operating, possessing, or using a vehicle with a hidden compartment with knowledge that the hidden compartment is used or intended to be used to facilitate the unlawful concealment or transportation of a controlled substance. In this case, how did they conclude the compartment is used or intended to be used to facilitate the unlawful concealment or transportation of a controlled substance...total BS.

“The ACLU of Ohio believes SB 305 is an unnecessary and unproductive expansion of law. Drug trafficking is already prohibited under Ohio law, so there is no use for shifting the focus to the container.”

http://cnsnews.com/mrctv-blog/eric-scheiner/man-arrested-having-concealed-compartment-vehicle

We should just arrest everyone who ever drives a car because they might drive the car while intoxicated.

The Ohio law passed last year prohibits, “designing, building, constructing, fabricating, modifying, or altering a vehicle to create or add a hidden compartment with the intent to facilitate the unlawful concealment or transportation of a controlled substance, prohibit operating, possessing, or using a vehicle with a hidden compartment with knowledge that the hidden compartment is used or intended to be used to facilitate the unlawful concealment or transportation of a controlled substance.

would this make it an "assault car"?

I guess your asshole should also be considered under this law since some do conceal drugs there.

would this make it an "assault car"?

I guess the compartment would be considered the evil features of the assault car.

I saw this story.  This is some scary stuff.  minority report action.  Arrested before you did any crime?  WTF?

I guess the compartment would be considered the evil features of the assault car.

along with a pistol grip shifter, folding sunvisors, and black paint job

"...using a vehicle with a hidden compartment with knowledge that the hidden compartment is used or intended to be used to facilitate the unlawful concealment or transportation of a controlled substance..."

Well, if this guy really did not know of the compartment, or that the compartment was intended for controlled substances, then he is not guilty. How does the prosecution prove in court that he knew it was there and what it was for? I guess they could have written or audio evidence of him talking or emailing or texting about it. How does the accused disprove the assertion that he knew? ["He knew." "No I didn't." "Yes you did." "No I didn't." ...]

This is a really scary part to me, the "thought crime" (as Heavies commented):

The Ohio law passed last year prohibits, “designing"....

So if you have a piece of paper with a sketch on it, or they record an audio conversation wherein someone discusses creating such a compartment, you are guilty of a crime... a felony crime at that.

WTF!!!  I guess I can't build my street legal race car with the hidden nitrous system in Ohio.