Which case uses the term wing span to describe the area of immediate control around an arrestee?

• A. Adams v Williams
• B. Carroll v United States
• C. South Dakota v Opperman
• D. United States v Chadwick

Answer: (C)

The concept being tested is the zone around an arrestee that officers may search or control for safety during an arrest—the area within the arrestee’s reach, sometimes described as the wing span or immediate-control area.

In the given set, the case that uses the term wing span to describe that immediate-control zone is South Dakota v. Opperman. This case discusses how officers may manage safety and control during vehicle investigations, which is framed in terms of the scope of control and the precautions officers may take in the vicinity of the arrestee. The other listed cases address different aspects—such as a protective frisk based on suspicion, the automobile exception, or the seizure of a secured container—without foregrounding the wing span concept.