HomeMy WebLinkAbout98-03077
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RIOHARD ZEBEL
Petitioner
: IN THE OOURT OF O(JMMON PLEAS OF
: CUMBERLAND OOUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA
v,
COMMONWEALTH OF PA
DEPT. OF TRANSPORTATION
Rospondent
: NO, 98.3077 OIVIL
IN.1lE.;.m;F
IEEQB.EJ:fQF-EEBLJ.
MEM~
In this opinion we address Richard Zebel's petition for a license suspension
appeal, The faots in the case are as follows:
Petitioner Zebel was arrested for violating 75 Pa,C.S,~3731 by a pollee
officer, who had reasonable grounds to believe Petitioner was operating a vehicle
while under the Influence of alcohol. Subsequent to Petitioner's arrest, the officer
transported Petitioner to the Harrisburg Hospital where they checked in and waited
for a staff technlolan to draw a blood sample,
Approximately one.half hour after their arrival at the hospital, the staff
technician arrived in the room. Upon his arrival, the officer asked Petitioner If he
would submit to two blood tests,
Petitioner Immediately responded that he wanted to speak to an attorney
prior to submitting to a blood test, Oonsequently, the officer, for the first time, read
98-3077 CIVIL
to Petitioner the complete chemical test warnings on the Department DL-26 form,
The officer then asked Petitioner to sign the form, PBtltloner stated that he would
not sign anything until he conferred or spoke with counsel. The officer testified that
he took Petitioner's refusal to sign the form as a refusal to submit to the blood test;
the officer further testified that he did not again request the Potltloner to take a
blood test so that the officer could receive a clear refusal.
Section 1547 of the Code, 75 Pa,C.S, ~ 1547{b)(2) provides: "It shall be the
duty of the pollee officer to Inform the person that the person's operating privilege
will be suspended or revoked upon refusal to submit to a chemical test."~
ll....~l1m..ent of Irn.~holds that once an officer performs this duty
through a recitation of the statutory warning and a valid request has been made
to submit to a chemical test, anything less than an unqualified, unequivocal assent
to take a chemical test constitutes a refusal warranting an automatic suspension
of the motorist's operator's license, 513 A,2d 551 (Pa,Commw,Ct. 1986), But
one's refusal to sign the DL-26 form is not a refusal to submit to a chemical test.
Pennsylvania's Department of Transportation's DL-26 form states: "QEEJ.Q.EB
MQIE.: The refusal to sign this form Is not a refusal to submit to a chemical test.
You must stili give the motorist an opportunity to take the chemical test after
reviewing this form,"
2
98.3077 CIVIL
In the present case, Petitioner's refusal to sign the DL-26 form Is clearly not
considered a refusal to submit to chemical testing, Furthermore, the officer's
request for Petitioner to submit to a chemical test was made prior to his reading
of the Implied consent warning contained In DL-26. This untlmelY,and thus
defective warning, could have been cured by a post-warnlng opportunity for the
Petitioner to assent to chemical testing. Jackson v, CommoOWd, 510 A.2d 396
(Pa,Commw,Ct 1986), But a post warning 'opportunity' to submit to testing Is not
satisfied by the mere passage of time, A post-warning 'opportunity' to submit to
test must be either a verbal request or a physical request such as holding out a
breathalyzer mouthpiece and asking one to breathe into It. It cannot be assumed
that a person, after receiving the DL-26 warning, understands that they can change
their mind If they had refused to submit to a chemical test prior to the warning, We
agree with the reasoning in .l.rLm~ that a further request should have been
made to Petitioner to submit to the test In view of the fact that he could now make
an Intelligent, Informed decision with the knowledge of the penalty for refusal, 14
D, & C, 3d 454, 457 (1980).
Consequently, Petitioner's refusal 10 submit to a chemical test was not valid
and his license suspension Is reversed,
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CHEMICAL TESTING WARNINGS AND REPORT OF 981 :,:::0
REFUSAL TO SUBMIT TO CHEMICAL TESTING AS
AUTHORIZED BY OF THE VEHICLE CODe
611::,
28213C.I
DL'HI""I
S[ CTION 154/
HAllI
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FI....'RlClltfRO
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ADIItI...
CITY
3B H42R
DAIVI.. NUII.I..
CIRC.L F
STATE
IYJECJM/VI:.S uR6
CHIli TIlT ABOUIIT DATI
MONTU 0 Y A
PA
08/ P4-
SECTION 1547. CHEMICAL TESTING WAR'NINGS
" Plea.. be adIIlted thai you ara now under a"e.t lor driving under thelnlluence oll!cohol or I conlrolled .ub.llnee purlulnt to .ectlon 373101
the Vehicle Code, 1)
211m req....llng that you .ubmlt to a chamleel te.t 01_ ~L06 D (breat@or urllWl, Olllcer choo.e. the chemical ten)
3 it I. my duty, II I police olticer, to Inlorm VOU Ihat II VOU relu.e to .ubmlt to Ihe ohemlcal te.t your opera ling privilege will be .u.pended lor a
period 01 one year,
4, a) The con.lItullonal rlghl. VOU have IS a criminal delendanl, commonly known ulhe Miranda Righi., Including the right 10 .peak wllh Ilawver and
Ihe rlghl to remeln .lIent, IpplV onlV to criminal pro.ecullon. and do nol applv 10 Ihe chemical te.llng procedure under penn,Vlvanil" Impllod
Con.ent law, which I. a civil, not 8 criminal preceedlng,
b) You have no right 10 .peak to a lawyer, or anvone else, belorelaklng the chomlcal test ,equo.tod bV the police olllcer nor do vou have a right 10
remain sllenl when askod by Ihe pollee olllcer to submlllo Iho chemical test, Unle.. you agreolo submlllO Ihe test requostod by tho police ollicor
your conducl will be deomed to bo relusalend vour oporollng privilege will bo su.pended lor one yelr,
c) Your relusal to .ubmlllo chemicallesllng under Ihe Implied Consent law mav b. Introduced Into evidence In I criminal prosecution lor driving
while under thelnlluanca 01 alcohol or a controllod subsllnee,
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I eortllv thaI I hIve relld the lbov. warning 10 Ihe mOlori.1 reglrding Ihe su.pension ollhoir operalillg privilege Ind gIve Iho motorist In opportu-
nit, to .ubmit to chemklll te.llng,
Slgnlture 01 Ollicer:_._____ Dale:
I hove been odvl.ed 01 tho obova,
Slgnalur. 01 Motorlst:_ __
Motorl.. retu.ad to .igll, IlIar baing advisedd --7 -JJ-- /.: ",
Signoturo 01 Ollicer: ~>7Wt~1l1 t'~
Dote:
--~
--'l-L!f_L~
Date:
AFFIDAVIT
t, The abc.ve motorist was placed under I"esllor driving under the Inlluence 01 alcohol or a controlled sub"anco In violation of Section 3731 ollho
Vahicle Code, and there woro reasonabla grounds 10 beliovo thlllhe Ibove molorlst had been driving, operollng or in Iclual physiell conlrol 01
Ihl mOVlmotlt of a motor vehicle while undor Ihe inlluonco 01 olcohol or a eonlrolled s"bslanco or bOlh,
or
Thltthe lbovl nlmod motorist WII Involved In In aCCIdent in which Ihe operltor or pa..enoer ollnv vehicle Involved or a podeltrlan roqulred
trlalmont It I medici' facility or w'" killod,
2, Tho above mOlori" wa. raquuled to submit to chemical lestlng as authorllod bV Section t547 ollhe Vehielo Code,
3, The above motorl., wlslnlormed bV . police olllcer 01 the chemical test wornlngs eonlainod In paragraph 3 Ind 4 ebove,
4, Thl obove nlmld motorist relused to lubmll to ehemlclllosling,
OFFICER NOTE: Tho rll...lto Ilgn Ihl. 'orm II nol I r.fullt to lubmlt to the chemlcll t.'I. Vou mUll It III glvo th. molorllt In opportu.
Iilly 'e'alloll,e oh....IOIII..t ol1or rovl".lng thll form. 11th. Indlvldull w.. op.rlllnll I commlroll' molor vohlolo whllo hiving Iny
Ilochel or a oontrolled lubl'"noo In tho'r IVII.m, you mu.t 11.0 oompl.t.th. r.~?ld. O'lUhl1 lorm. J '
IUllCAlleOANOSWOA" U" '1 Po.. OllicerSIOMluro &/tdlJ.n ~_~ .~h.eut.
TOBEF'OAEMI:' ~o I}Il DAY tI YEA" .
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Olllcer Namo UIlifN,JCtJ/T C4'IVR/tJtI r______,.
(TyPtOf PIlnl)
Forword to:
Dlpartment of Transportation
Burellu 01 Driver licensing
P,O, Box ~0037
Harrisburg, PA 17106-0037
Badge Number: 17 -8 _ Jurl.die1l0n: Of/AlP ,,//( ~v~l1i
Phonel1l.2.l_,J.J 7~ 1$1~__
Mailing Addrossl./i' jAI IftNLi T _~..lllJ:f7 __
CAmp /l11.t.-JlI1__.L7OI1
THIS FOAM MAY BE DUPLICATED
Nota: AnV porlinonl tlctS nol covered bV the IlIidlVIl should be .ubmlUed on I
soparlto .hoot Ind aUached h.ralo Thlt Iheat .hould include the name' 01
oddotional wllnossos necessl'V 10 prove thl oloments to which you heve IUelted.
ADDITIONAL SUPPLIES OF THIS FOR'-l '-lAY BE SECURED BY COMPLETING FORM OS-Sl1A
01.'"14.")
(;)
CHEMICAL TESTING WARNINGS AND REPORT OF
REFUSAL TO CHEMICAL TESTING AS '
^UTHORIZED BY OF THE VEHICLE CODE
(COMMERCIAL MOTOR VEHICLE)
NAIll
FIAST
IIX
DATI 01' I.IITH
H
1oI100l.E
LAST
ADOIII..
CITY
ITATI ZIP COOl
DAIVIII NUIlIII1
STAll
CHI" TIlT AIlOUIIT DATI
MONTU A . AR
~ALllCUllnYNUII'11I
.
1, In ,.....lInglllal you .ubmh 10 I ehemlCllI tl.1 0' .. . (braalll, blood Of urine, 0ffI0er choo...llla chImloel "'1.)
2, III.lIt)I duty, I' a police olftCl<, 10 Inform rou thlt slnoo you Wlr. Opel'l~ng I CMV, If you r.fuII to .ubmll to 1M chamloelll.t, rour oommlrolll
drilling prlvUaga will be clllqueJlfIed tor I minimum period 01 on. r.lr,
3, I) Tha oon.lltutloneJ rlghl. rou hive II I crlmlnl' def.ndenl, commoni)' known 18th. Mirandl Rlghtl, Including the right to .,..Ik with alaWYII and
1M right to rameln Ilfant, Ipplr onlr tOl/lmln.1 proolCullonl Ind do nol Ipplr 10 the chomlclll t..llng proeedura under P.nnlylvenla'. Implied
Coneent L.w, which II I cMI, not I crimlnll proceeding,
b) You hive no right 10 lpelk to Illwyor, or Inyone .110, belorollkll1lllM chomlcal to.t roqulltod by tha police offl08r nor do you hive I rlghl to
rlm.ln II"nt when liked by th. pollc.t offloor to Iubmlt 10 tho chomlclll t..1. Un.... rou Igro. to .ubmll to the telt reque.ted by thl police olllcor
your conduct will be deemed 10 bo relulIl Ind your commorclll driving prlvlleg. will be dilqulllfllld lor on. reer,
0) Your refuIII to aubmlllo chemlcell'"lIng under the Impl..d Content LI... m.y b. Introduced Into .vldenCe In I criminal pro.lCullon lor driving
whl" under !he Inlluence of Ilcohol or I controlled lubltencl,
I Clllity thl' I ....v. raed the lbove \\Ilrnlng to th. mOlorllt reglrdlng lhe dllqulllUcetlon of their commllel.t drl'/lng prlvUoge end glll8 th. motorllt
.n oppot\unlty to lubmlt to ch.mlcll tOIling,
Slgnliuro of Offioer: Oato:
I have be.n advlled ot Ihe above,
Slgn.lure 01 Motorllt:. Dote:
Motorilt r.fuled 10 .Ign, .lIer bolng Idvl.ed,
Slgnllure of Officor: Olle:
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AFFIDAVIT
1, Thelbove motorl.t WII Ilopped by I pollee officer who, alter Ilopping the mOlorllt, had reuonablo groundl to bolleve tho motorllt had been
driving I commorclll mOlor vohlole whl'" having any o/coholln hil .yetem,
2, Theabova motorlll wa. roqulltlld to lubmlllO chemical teltlng al authorlzod by Soollon 1613 of the Vohiclo Code,
3, The above motorl.t wa.lnformed by I pollee oltlcer of tho chomlcal telt warning I contelned In paragraph 2 Ind 3 aboll8,
4, Thl above named motorlll ,.Iulod 10 lubmlt to ch.mlcll te.llng,
OFFICIR NOTI, Th. relullllO .Ign lhl. lorm I. not a ..fUll' 10 .ubmlt to the ohemloa' tll'. Vou mu.l.llllglv.lh. motorl,'.n Opportunity to tekethe
ohemloe'II,'elter IIvl.wlngthll lorm. It the Ind'vldu.1 WII Dlecod un.r e"II' IDr Dperellng e commlrolel motor v.hlOIe whl" undlr the Inlluono.
01 elcohol or I controlled lubetano. pUlluent to Seollon 3731 01 the Vehlole Cod., you mu.t el.o comple" tho rev.,.. el'" 01 IItle lorm.
SUI8(lRIIF.DAHD.WORN Oltlcer Slgnllure:
! 10 "FORE ME: MO, DA. VEAR
i s
~ E
i A
L
Cllllcer N.mo:
Badge Number:
__ Jurisdiction:
Phone: L-l
Mailing Add,...
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION IF NOT THE SAME OFFICER WHO WITNESSED THE REFUSAL:
Nlm. 01 A".IUng Offlcor:
Addrou 01 Arr"llng OfficII:
Phone Number 01 A".llIng Oltlce, L.._l
II YII, n.m. of cullodlan_
NIIlI..nd Iddr.u of modlc.1 f.elllty If blood wu roqullted:
II thore I Vldeotepe? (V'" or No)
end phone number ( ___ ) __
THIS FORM MAY BE DUPLICATED
ADlllTlONAI. SUPPlIES Of nlls FORloIloIAV i1~ SECUREO BY COMI'LETlNG FORM OS,IllA