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HomeMy WebLinkAbout97-06918 ~ CHEMICAL TESTING WARNINGS AND REPORT OF REFUSAL TO 6UBMIT TO CHEMICAL TESTING AS AUTHORIZED BY OF THE VEHICLE CODE '7 7~31 4.'. l,1t-,~ :.... .:,. 1 iT 7 ..:. OI,'I'CI'''I "'d. c: f Il)rJ 111.1,. CITY 81)( OA'. 0fI IlO>I H V 11I\ DC, B'An ADOU8. LA.' STONe ~'1~ SouT1l ~T s1' I <AIlL/S:lE DRIV." NUMBIA fHATB c$t.tSU; CHI" TlST REQUEST 0.1111 MONTII P-4 nal3 SOCIAL 8!CUAITV NUIIIl!A "', '. ..'., 1. PttUB ... &dvlNd ,11I1 you '" now under ."'.110' d,lvlng under Ih. Inlluono. ol"oOhol 01 . eonlrolltd .ubll~ P\ll8lienl1cl'~ "" 'iehlol. Oode. a,l,m ,.qu'"Ung thel YOII.ubmlllo, ch.mlclll..1 01 ._..._~.,__..___.,.__. (b/"lh, blood 0' u~n., Olllcerchool.' the ch.mlcalle.1.) 3, 1111 my duly. .. . pollc. ollie.., 10 Inlu,m you "'"111 you r.lu.. 10 .ubmlllu Ihl oh.m,call..1 Y"" operlllng p/tvll.g. will tMl'Ulpelndtd 10, a p.~od 01 ono Y..'. ... II) The QQn,UIUllonal rlgh!.s you hive Oil criminal delendanl. commonly known IIlho Miranda A~hl'.lncludlng Ihl righllo .p.ak wllh alawy., and thl rlghl 10 'emaln 'lI'nt. apply only to crlmlnll plOllocultona and do "01 apply 10 lhe chemical ,..ling procedure under PennIVI"lnI.'. Implied Con.."1 Law, WhIch I. . CIvil, nol B orlmlnal proceeding. b) 'Iou h.v. no "ghllo Ip."" 10 all..Y.', 0' onyono 01... bolorol.klng Ih. ch.mlcal i,"1 '.qu..,.d by Ih. pollOI olllce' nor do ~ou have a ~ghllo ..main IlIanl when ..k.d by the pollc. ollie.. 10 lubmlllo 'ho eh.mloal'..1. Unl... YOU 1lII,,'10 .ubmlllo the "" requ.".d b~ Ih. pollo. 01ll0lr you, conduc,..1I1 be o..mod 10 be ,.'uIII.no you, op".Ung p~vlllg...1II b. IUlponded 10' on. y.a" c) 'leu, "lulal to IUbmlllo Ch.mIc.,I.lllng und..'h. Impll.d Con..nl Law mlY tMllnlroductd Into ovld.nol In I c~mlnal PlOMou\lon lor 41rlvtng whll. und..lIJalnllutnc. 01 'lcohol 0' a conl/oll.o Iubllanc., Lbo.- , .",...~ I""'~ I OIf11ty Ihll I hi.' nlad \h. lbov. w.rnlng '0 Ih. molO~11 'og..~ l~pen'lon of thll, ope"Ung prlvUIQl and lItvB Ib, mown"'.n ~., t, nIIy 10 0Ubm1l10 cl1lmlOlll...llng, ~~ V 0~ 6Ign~IU"0'01lIC.r:+.-=9- . 0...: .I"/A~ I h,vI bHn aUVlIad 01 th. 'bo,., Slgnalure 01 MOlorl.l: '--'_____,_,__ _._______,_____ Oil.: ____ MOlOrl....,u... In Ilg"sI~'~:;~'~~Y ~I!~~~d:,,_~, ,~""",,.9..5~)~_ A"IDA YI! " m. above mOlo,'.t .... pl'C.d und.. .""110' on"ng und..lh. Inllu.nc. 0' alcohol 0' . conlroll.d IubllaM.ln vlolaUon 01 Seollon 3731 ollhe Vthlo', Codt, .nd ihlr. wer' ,...onlbll groundl to bllllVI that the above malo"" had bien driving. oporallng or In aclul' phYIloaJ oontrol of thl movlmenl of II motor v6hlell while under 'hi Influ.n08 or ,'cohol or . conlrolled lubllDNle or both, 0' That the aboYI n"mld motorl" wa, Involved In an scoldsnl tn which (he oper.tor or P....ng.r 01 anV vflhlclo Invofvod or a pede.lrlan required 1'''lmanl al a m.dlo.' I..lll1y 0' WII klllld. 2. Th. above mOlorll. wu rnquIII.d fo ,ubmlllo ch.mlt:II'tjllng II .UlhOJl~ld bv Silmon '5470' lhe V'hle'e Code. 3. The abOvo molo""t w.. Inlollnod by . pollc. 011I0.' .'Ihl ohlmIC8l1l.. warning. oonlllnld In p.rag'oph 3 end 4 'bov., <t. The above n.mtd Motorl.1 r,'ultd to .ubmlllo ohlmICIII..lh'Q. DPPKlIA NIUIl The mUlallo "In Ihl. 'O'MI, nol' ,,'ula' to Iubmlllo Ihl .hemlell_. You llIu" 111I1 OIYBlho 1l\OI~.18lI 0IIJl0ftv. ""'IO.....llla .ham,..,.... IllIr ravll.lng Ihla lor.... " IhI Indlvlduo' w.. oPI..llnl a _ft."ol., molor _Ie" WhU"".II1fI.ny '10011oI or , aonl'oUad .ub..._ln Ih.lr 1~'I.m, ~ou mU'1 "'0 aomp"" th. "VIr.. lids of Ihl, lorm. Ollie., Signa'",,: 1- ~"'" (;) "0 ~ I ~ Ollleol Nam. -~,--~~_,.f>-:__Pl!!!:!N___.___ l1)WOfPIIlI.) .~...-, ............~ 01'.: __.mll:ll~? ----- r ~R.'DANO'WORN TOH'OM... ~o OAY 'tun ----- "_lId 10: Olpal1mlnl 0' TranSpol18UOn Bu..au 0' D,lver L1cSlI8lng 1',0. 90. 80037 Hdlllsbu'g, PA 17106,0037 THIS FORM MAY BE DUPLICATED eldg. N".,olI ,___1..1..<(z..__. Ju,I'dlo1lon; _~ Phon" I.7H.I.$la.!.lIlJ:J.___ _'.. __ MIlling A.d/", -$lA..__~JI1H, <:r... -...----~,.~ 11._11Q.1!i..,.. , 2 . -. .......~,.. ..,-_.._-~_..~.. COMMONWEAL TIt.S EXII/D1T I 4 ,'18 ~ITl NOI.' Any pe"lnenl taCit no' coverl'd by Ihe Iffidavlt Ihould b4 ItJblY1llled on . iSflp,8,nltt ,hi.' .nd attactHtd h".lo, Thai .".., .hould If\Clh.td. the "1m.. of eddlllonlfll wllne8~" n.<<nary \0 provo Ihe eleRlent. 10 which 'IOu hall. tU..lf.lelJ. AOOl1l0NAl SUPPLI8S OP nus FORM MAY DE SECUReD IV ClOMPllTfNQ I'tlRU OS.lt..\ ,,, '7:: ~ ~ \ ',i h; c.H '.. rt. .~ ~ L.l~ I. 1; ~i~ ~, -.~ .. I'.; I .j 8 ~'f,i ..,.~ , t"- ' . -D .'.-' , 8 [1'" C) .' ..... Cz '/f l,n by-ft ~ ~ . ~ \l. '1' ~ l~ I ~ [" t. I ! ~ c., I I c.:... II, r. J ~ ~ (.) ...J" !_J .~ !!i> Z :ili ~ ~~H ~ ~ o1SP I u1~~1 1 ~ :r: ~ u Ul ~ z a: ~ ~~ I ' , . '''' WhHl'l:~lov ~'~Tlt.r ~ 6,"~~fM' 'tIiOINAIo .. I A~~Y . 1lft",i1<I'OU"3' IQ MANCKE, WAG~;f~;~~SHEY &1'U\.L Y .: ,~~~ DEe I Ii 1997(r\ ,""- v. IN THE COURT OF COMMON PLEAS CUMBERLAND COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA NO, C(7-!e,9/ f JOHN D. STONE COMMONWEALTH OF PENNSYLVANIA DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION, BUREAU OF DRIVER LICENSING LICENSE SUSPENSION APPEAL LICENSE SUSPENSION APPBAL AND NOW, comes Petitioner, John D. Stone, by and through hie " attorneys, Mancke, Wagner, Hershey & Tully, and makes the following averments in support of this License Suspension Appeal: 1. Petitioner, John D. Stone, is a pennsylvania licensed driver with a residence address of 272 S. West Street, Carlisle, Cumberland County, Pennsylvania 17013, 2. Respondent, pennsylvania Department of Transportation, Bureau of Driver Licensing, has a mailing address at Riverfront Office Center, Third Floor, 1101 South Front Street, Harrisburg, Dauphin County, Pennsylvania 17104-2516, 3, Petitioner received a notice of license suspension by way of letter dated November 17, 1997 from the Department of Transportation indicating that his pennsylvania driving privileges are to be suspended on December 22, 1997, at 12:01 a,m, for a period of one (1) year for a violation of Section 1547 of the Vehicle Code. See Exhibit "A" attached hereto and incorporated herein by refer.ence. 4, The action proposed by the Department in its Notice outlined in Exhibit "A" is illegal, invalid, and improper for some or all of the following reasons: a. State Police did not have reasonable grounds to bel:\.eve that petitioner was operating a vehicle while under the influence of alcohol; b. petitioner waa placed under arrest and requested to submit to a blood test at Lewiatown Hospital without the benefit of O'Con~~ warnings; c, Any alleged refusal to take a breath test at the Newport State Police Barracks which is specifically denied was waived by the police when they offered petitioner an alternative test at the Lewistown Hospital; d. petitioner was voluntary, or. testing; and incapable of making a intelligent refusal of knowing, chemical e. Said suspension is otherwise illegal, invalid, and improper pursuant to statutory and case law. WHEREFORE, Petitioner respectfully requests that this Court schedule a hearing to determine the validity of the suspension proposed by the Department in Exhibit "A". Respectfully submitted, Date: rzllLr rr } MANCKE WAGNER;!!ER / EY & TULLY / -- B / V Yoavld E, Hershey, Esquire 1.0, #43092 2233 North Front Street Harrisburg, PA 17110 (717) 234-7051 .,. J.~ . COMMONWEALTH OF PENNSYLVANIA COUNTY OF CUMBERLAND S. S. VRRIPrCA'1'IO~ I hereby verify that ,the statements made in this document are true and correct, I understand that false statements herein are made Subject to the penalties of 18 Pa,c.s. Section 4904, relating to unsworn falsification to authorities, Date: /2.;1 J/; 7 4~ .:P:/~~ /John D.-Stone " outlined in block 16 at 2255 hours while still at Newport Barracks, At Lewistown Hospital, no blood was drawn and, according to Trooper Devlin, petitioner had refused chemical testing, Petitioner was then transported back to the Newport State Police Barracks where, for the first time, Trooper Devlin retrieved PennDOT form DL-26 and the O'Connell warnings contained therein were read to peti.tioner, The DL-26 form specifically indicated that Trooper Devlin was requesting a chemical test of blood, No blood testing capability was available at Newport State Police Barracks. NO additional test was offered at the Newport State Police Barracks, II . ISBUK Can petitioner have made a knowing, voluntary, and intelligent refusal pursuant to 11547 when PennDOT f.orm DL-26 which encompasses the Q'Connel1 warnings was not read to Petitioner until after he was transported away from Lewistown Hospital where the alleged refusal took place? Answe~ed in the negative below. III. ~ A. Whenever an individual is placed under arrest for DUX and prior to a request for submioMion to a chemical testing, Q'Connell warnings must be given regardless of whether miranda is given or motorist exhibits confusion. ~ COl1II1Ion!!!nith. DeDartment of TranSDortation. Bureau of Driver Licensina v. Bc~, ___ Pa. Cmwlth. ___, 684 A.2d 539 (1997). B. Untimely, and thus defective, warnings can be cured by . post-warning opportunity to assent to chemioal testing. .&n Commonwealth. DeDal:tm.nt of ~ransDortation. Bur.au of Dri'lfel: LiceJ.lsina v. Zeltins, Pa.Cmwlth. , 614 A.2d 349 (1992)1 see a180, Henderson v. Cnmmnuw..lth. peDartment of TransDortation. Bureau of Driver Liconsina, Pa.Cmwlth. , 553 A.2d 105 (1989) I lee a18o, Jackson v. Commonwealth, Pa.Cmwlth. , 510 A.2d 396 (1986) . IV. ARGUHBNT Pertinent. parts of Trooper Devlin's testimony have been reproduced in support of the factual allegations herein, Q: Did the tech that you have described witness your conversations with Mr, Stone in the lab services area? A: I didn't have any conversations with Mr. Stone other than this is the nurse that's going to be drawing the blood. Q: I'm referring to the use of the DL-26 form, A: No. This is all done at the Newport Barracks, the DL-26. Q: Yet the DL-26 form you're showing me was not filled out until you were back at the barracks? A: Correct. Q: After you were at the hospital? A: Corr.ect. Q: So when was the form read to Mr. Stone? A: This form? Q: Yes. A: This one wouldn't have been read until afterwards but the implied consent, which is the same as on here is read to him pdor, Q: For the record, you're pointing to the penn~ylvania State Police intoxication report? 3 the two test samples being greater than an ,020 variance which is specifically denied, there is precedent that indicates that the Department waives any refusal where police gratuitously offer the motorist a subsequent opportunity to take a chemical test. See, ~nnDOT v. Bover, 18 D&C 4th 562 (1992). The central issue in this case is the timing of the DL-26 warning and the circumstances surrounding the situs of the warning and the action by the state police. It is believed the Department will argue the line of cases which indicate that the request to take a chemical test does not have to be made at the situs of the test equipment, ~ee qenerallv, Commonwealth. Departmenl; of Transportation v, Cou:u!Qll, 584 A.2d 386 (1990); Commonwealth. Department of TranSQQf.tation. Bureau of Driver Ligensinq v, Stav, Pa,cmwlth. ,539 A.2d 57 (1988); Commonwealth. Deoartm~nt of Tran~rtation. Bureau of Driver Licensinq v. Zeltins, Pa.cmwlth. , 614 A.2d 349 (1992). petitioner is focusing the court's attention on the line of cases which pertains specifically to whether the Department has cured an untimely, and therefore defective warning, through a pODt- waI'ning opportunity to assent to chemi,cal testing. ~, ~ommonweal tho Deoartment---2f... Transportation v, zelcins, supra; llenderson v, Department of TranID2Q..rtat ion, supra; and IUlS:kaon v, Commonwealth, supra, 6 r- ,,- It is significant that in the case ~t bar the DL-26 form which was filled out by the state police specifically indicated that they were requesting that Petitioner consent to a test of his blood, Further, it is significant that this warning took place at the Newport State Police Barracks after petitioner and the state police had already been to and left the Lewistown Hospital. Finally, it is significant that on the Department / s exhibit introduced into evidence in this case that the exhibit itself indicates "Officer note: the refusal to sign this form is not a refusal to submit to the chemical test, You must still give the motorist an opportunity to take the chemical test after reviewing this form." ~ PennDO'l' form DL-26 marked as the Department's exhibit in this case. Through the peculiar series of events in this case, including but not limited to the malfunctioning of the breathalyzer device, the timing of the reading of, the DL-26 form requesting a chemical test of blood and no meaningful opportunity for petitioner to assent to a chemical test of blood at the Newport Barracks, there was no knowing, voluntary/or conscious refusal of chemical testing. "/ \ JOHN D. STONE IN THE COURT OV COMMON PLEAS OF CUMBERLAND COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA V. COMMONWEALTH OF PENNSYLVANIA DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION, BUREAU OF DRIVER LICENSING NO. 97~691B CIVIL TERM IN RE: LICENSE SUSPENSION APPEAL ORDER 9F C~ AND NOW, this 9th day of February, 1998, after hearing, the Court makes the following findings of fact: 1. The Miranda warnings were given to the Defendant at approximately ~2!'1 hours at the Newport Barracks. 2. The implied consent warnings were given to the Defendant at approximately 2255 hours. 3. The DL-26 form was read to the Defendant by Trooper Devlin at 2256 hours, although that form was completed for the intoxilyzer (breath]. 4. The intoxilyzer test was deficient because of a variance of greater than .20 percent. 5. The Defendant unequivocally refused to submit to a blood test at approximately 12:15 a.m. at the Lewistown Hospital. 6. Commonwealth's Exhibit No. 1 was read to the Defendant at 1:00 a.m. at the State Police Barracks at Newport. 7, The Defendant was not given another opportunity after the .econd reading of the DL-26 form at 1:00 a.m. to 8ubmit to ohemical testing. Based upon the above findings of fact and review of the CAse law, Petitioner's appeal of license suspension is denied and the aotion of the Department suspending Petitioner's operating license is affirmed. ~'