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JOliN TIIOMAS RY,\N.
Appellant
IN Till: ('( II IRT ()F C( )~IM( IN I'I.EAS OF
('1 I;>.IIII:RI.AND ('OUNTY, I'ENNSYI.V,\NIA
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I)X.6741 CIVIL
COMMONWEAI.TII OF I>A,.
BUREAU OF DRIVER
LICENSING,
Appcllee
LICENSE SlJSI'ENSION APPEAL
ORDER
AND NOW. this
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day of Dcecmber, 199X. at the rcquest of counsel for
the appcllant. hcaring in th~ above caplioued matter sct f(lr March 25. 1999, is continued 10
Monday. March 29,1999, at 9:30 a.m. in Courtroom Nl:mber 4. Cumberland County
Courthousc. Carlisle. PA,
BY THE COURT,
John Maneke, Esquire
For the Appellant
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Kevin' . Hess, J.
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Georgc Kabusk. Esquire
For the Appellee
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JOHN THOMAS RYAN
Petitioner
. IN THE COURT OF COMMON PLEAS
. CUMBERLAND COUNTY. PENNSYLVANIA
. NO, 98-6741 CIVIL
. LICENSE SUSPENSION APPEAL
v.
COMMONWEALTH OF PENNSYLVANIA,
DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION
Respondent
PETITIONER'S LEGAL MEMORANDUM
I. FACTS
On October 20.1998, at approximately 22:50 pm, John Ryan was stopped and arrested
for driving under the influence of alcohol by Trooper Jason l. Carbaugh for events that occurred
on Route 81 in Dickinson Township, Cumberland County,
At the State Police station. he agreed to a breath test and a breath test reading was
obtained at approximately 11 :33 pm, Although a second test was attempted by Mr, Ryan, no
reading was obtained,
According to Trooper Carbaugh's preliminary hearing testimony (after he gave Mr. Ryan
a chance to take a blood test which he says was refused due to a fear of needles), Mr. Ryan was
then asked to sign the DL-26 after he read it to him,
At no time, after he was requested to sign the DL-26, was Mr. Ryan given the opportunity
to take either a breath or blood test. Trooper Carbaugh confirmed this when he testified:
Q Now was he given a chance to take a breath test or a blood
test after you read the DL-26?
A Was he given another chance?
Q Yes,
A No,
(Testimony, 01-12-99),
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disagree,
President Judge George Hoffer, in a similar case, held that a specific request should be
made of the motorist after the DL-26 is read and that failure to do so required a reversal of the
suspension, ~ Zebel v Penn Dol, No, 98-3077 Civil. memorandum opinion, September 4,
" ,
1998, Judge Hoffer noted in ~:
Furthermore, the officer's request for Petitioner to submit to
a chemicat test was made prior to his reading of the imptied consent
warning contained in DL-26, This untimety, and thus defective
warning, could have been cured by a post-warning opportunity for
the Petitioner to assent to chemical testing. Jackson v,
Commonwealth, 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 waming, 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 In re Gauker 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/he penalty for refusal. 14 D. & C.3d 454,457 (1980).
Consequently, Petitioner's refusal to submit to a chemical
test was not vatid and his ticense suspension is reversed.
In fact, the Penn DOT form warns the officer that after reading the DL-26 the officer must
still give the motorist an opportunity to take the test. Q1. Yoon v, Penn Dot, 718 A.2d 386
(Pa.Cmwlth. 1998), The notice on the DL-26 states:
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. If the
individual was operating a commercial motor vehicle while having
any alcohol or a controlled substance in their system, you must also
complete the reverse side of this form,
Clearly, Penn DOT's own evidence shows a failure to comply by the officer and the suspension
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DATED: /~; '(,(.}(l
Respectfully submitted,
MAN KE. WAGNER, HERSHEY & TULLY
By: /1....---
Joh l(l, Mancke, Esq,
Attor y 10 No, 07212
2233 N, Front Street
Harrisburg, PA 17110
717-234-7051
must be reversed,
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CHEMICAL TESnNG WARNINGS AND llEPORT OF
REFUSAL TO SUBMIT TO CHEMICAL TeSTING AS
AUTHORIZED BY IlII!IrmmIJ 01' THE VEHICLI! CODE
, 98301
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JOHN THOMAS RYAN
Petitioner
: IN THE COURT OF COMMON PLEAS
: CUMBERLAND COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA
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: NO, "j'. &.., </1 C~:u.
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COMMONWEALTH OF PENNSYLVANIA,
DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION
Respondent
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LICENSE SUSPENSION APPEAL
AND NOW, thiS.ili:YOf N d ,1998, comes John Thomas Ryan,
by his attorneys, Mancke, Wagner, Hershey & Tully, who respectfully represent:
1. Your Petitioner, John Thomas Ryan, is an adult individual residing at Oak Drive,
Newville, Cumberland County, Pennsylvania,
2. Your Petitioner is a licensed motor vehicle operator in the Commonwealth of
Pennsylvania.
3. As a result of an alleged refusal, your Petitioner has received notice of license
suspension for violation of ~1547 (implied consent law) a copy of which is attached hereto and
made a part hereof as Exhibit A
4. Your Petitioner is alleged to have refused to take a chemical test as a result of an
alleged violation occurring on Route 81, Cumberland County, Pennsylvania.
5. Said license suspension is illegal, unjust, and improper for reasons which include, but
are not limited to, the following:
(a) Your Petitioner never knowingly or intelligently refused to take
a chemical test;
(b) Your Petitioner was not given an opportunity to submit to
multiple testing relating to the breath test;
(c) Your Petitioner was never prope~y advised that he had no right
COMMONWEALTH OF PENNSYLVANIA
OEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION
n"real' of Orivt!r licensing
HarrIsburg, PA 17123
NOVEMIIER or,. 1998
NEWVILLE PA
17241
983016108632355 001
10/28/1998
23053316
07/26/1973
JOHN THOMAS RYAN
6 O'AI: DR
Oear Motorist:
As a result of your violation of Section 1547 of the
Vehicle Code, CHEMICAL TEST REFUSAL on 10/20/1998, your
driving privilege is being SUSPENOED for a period of 1
YEAR(S) .
In order to comply with this sanction you are required to
return any current driver's license, learner's permit and/or
temporary driver's license (camera card) in your possession
no later than the effective date listed. If you cannot
complY with the requirements stated above, you are required
to submit a DL16LC Form or a sworn affidavit stating that
you are aware of the sanction against your driving privi-
lege, Failure to comply with this notice shall result in
this Bureau r~ferring this matter to the Pennsylvania State
Police for prosecution under SECTION 1571(a)(4) of the Ve-
hicle Code,
Although the law mandates that your driving privilege is
under suspension even if you do not surrender your license,
Cp.edit will not begin until all currl:lnt driver's license
product(s), the DL16LC F~rm, or a letter acknowledging your
sanction is received in this Bureau.
WHEN THE DEPARTMENT RECEIVES YOUR LICENSE OR ACKNOWLEDGE-
MENT, WE WILL SEND YOU A RECEIPT. IF YOU DO NOT RECEIVE THIS
RECEIPT WITHIN 15 DAYS CONTACT THE DEPARTMENT IMMEDIATELY,
OTHERWISE, YOU WILL NOT BE GIVEN CREDIT TOWARD SERVING THIS
SANCTION,
The effective date of suspension is 12/09/1998, 12:01 a.m.
********************************************************************
IWARNING: If you are convicted for driving while your license is I
Isuspended, the penalties will be: not less than 90 days imprison-I
Iment and a 1,000 fine and an additional 1 year suspension. I
********************************************************************'
EXHIBIT
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ALl.STATE-1NTERNATIONAl
983016108632355
PleasQ see tile enclose(1 ~pplicatiorl for restoration fee 111-
formilt ion,
APPEAL
You have the right to ilppea1 this action to the Court of
Common Pleas (Civil Division) within 30 days of the mili1
date of this letter, NOVEMBER 04, 1998, If YOU file an ap-
peal in the County Cou~t, the cou~t will give you a time-
stamped ce~tified copy of the appeal. Send thi s
time-stamped certified copy of the appeil1 by certified milil
to:
PENNSYLVANIA DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION
OFFICE OF CHIEF COUNSEL
THIRD FLOOR, RIVERFRONT OFFICE CENTER
HARRISBURG, PA. 17104-2516
Sincerely,
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Rebecca l. Bickley, Director
Bureau of Driver licensing
SEND FEE/lICENsE/Dl-16lC/TO:
Depirtment of Transportation
Bureau of nriver licensing
P,O" Box 68693
Harrisburg, PA 17106-8693
INFORMATION (7:00
IN STATE
OUT-OF-STATE
TDD IN STATE
TOO OUT-OF-STATE
AM TO 9:00 PM)
1-600-932-4600
717-391-6190
1-800-228-0676
717-391-6191
"