Will I get charged for a crime of having a weed vaporizer after the police let me go and only gave me a HOV lane violation?

Seems to me they would have charged you at the time if they intended it. Maybe one of the cops just wanted to give it a good home.

If he impounded the vaporizer he may choose to submit it to the lab and if the lab finds traces of weed you could be charged with possession of drug paraphernalia. As for the cops comment that your "basically fine" that really doesn't mean anything. My advise would be that you consult with an experienced criminal defense attorney in your area. Many can be found on and most offer free consultations. That being said I don't want you to panic as with the right legal help, you can get past this. Good Luck

I agree with Mr. Nurmi. These cases sometimes pop up out of the blue months after the incident. Although the officer might have been honestly communicating that he wasn't going to submit the paraphernalia charge, he could just as easily have been trying to deflate the situation or relax you into making incriminating statements. Most importantly, however, know that if they haven't initiated charges against you, they do have evidence of a crime, so you don't want to give them a reason to do so - such as committing a new offense.