HomeMy WebLinkAbout05-0968
DENNIS M. DARR
Petitioner
v.
: IN THE COURT OF COMMON PLEAS
: CUMBERLAND COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA
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COMMONWEALTH OF PENNSYLVANIA,
DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION,
BUREAU OF DRIVER LICENSING
Respondent
UCENSE SUSPENSION APPEAL
AND NOW, this .Gl4+hday of February, 2005, comes Petitioner Dennis M. Darr, through his attorneys,
Mancke, Wagner & Spreha, who respectfully represent
1. Petitioner Dennis M. Darr, is an adult individual residing at 11 W. Pomfret Street Carlisle,
Pennsylvania and is a licensed Pennsylvania motor vehicle operator.
2. The occurrences allegedly giving rise to the suspension hereinafter occurred on or about January
7, 2005 in Cumberland County,
3. Petitioner has received notice of an 18-month suspension as authorized by Section '1547BIII' and
a copy of said license suspension notice is attached hereto and made a part hereof as Exhibit A.
4. The Pennsylvania Motor Vehicle Code contains no such exact provision authorizing a license
suspension and such suspension is illegal, unjust and improper.
5, Further, the license suspension is illegal, unjust and improper for reasons which include, but are
not limited to, the following:
a. there was no valid or proper request to take chemical testing;
b. there was no valid, intelligent or knowing refusal to take a chemical test
c. ~ 1547 and ~3802, facially and as applied to the Petitioner, are in violation of the Slate
and Federal Constitutions;
d. any alleged refusal would violate equal protection of the laws in violation of the Slate
and Federal Constitutions;
,
e. Petitioner was not properly advised and/or timely advised of his rights and/or
obligations to submit to chemical testing;
f. the statement of the ollicer(s) were confusing and/or misleading;
g. the booking officer improperly advised the Petitioner concerning his rights and his
requirements and read a deficient legally erroneous, and misleading DL -26 (see,
Garner v. Penn Dot 04-1815 Civil, Cumbo Cty., Hess, J.) which resulted in an
unknowing, unintelligent and coerced decision concerning the taking of the breath
test
h. the warnings failed to comply with Act 177 of 2004, 75 Pa.C.SA ~1547(b)(ii);
i. Petitioner was misadvised about his right to a lawyer and further denied the right to
a lawyer as required by 6th Amendment of the U.S. Constitution and Article I, ~9 of
the Pa, Constitution;
j. the Petitioner's right to counsel, pursuant to 6th Amendment of the U.S. Constitution
and Article I, ~9 of the Pa. Constitution, were violated at the time of the request for
testing;
k. under the circumstances at the booking center, Petitioner had a right to counsel
under the State and Federal Constitutions before deciding to take a chemical test;
I. ~ 1547 and/or ~3802 of the Pennsylvania Motor Vehicle Code constitutes:
(i) Violation of substantive due process under the Pa. (Article I, ~9) and U.S.
Constitutions (5th and 14th Amendments) as being vague and overbroad
facially and as applied to the Petitioner and as impermissibly delegating a
legislative function to the judiciary in violation of the Pa. and U,S. Constitutions,
See Commonwealth V. Noel and Travis, 857 A.2d 1283 at 1288 (2004),
concurring opinion.
(ii) Act 24 of 2003, Chapter 38, ~3802 and/or ~1547 and their related provisions
violate procedural due process under Article I, ~9 ofthe Pa. Constitution and
the 5th and 14th Amendments of the U.S. Constitution facially and as applied
to the Petitioner.
(iii) Chapter 38 of Act 24 of 2003, ~3802 and/or ~1547 and their related provisions
violate equal protection guaranteed by the State and Federal Constitutions,
facially and as applied to the Petitioner, in that they treat similarly situated
persons differently and such different treatment is not rationally related to the
protection of the public from intoxicated drivers.
2
,
(iv) Act 24 of 2003, ~3802 and/or ~1547 (suspension of 18 months) violate the
constitutional and due process protections against ex post facto laws in
violation of U.S. Constitution, Article I. ~10 and Pa, Constitution, Article I, ~17,
facially and as applied to the Petitioner and improperly provide for an
impermissible retroactive application.
(v) The Petitioner was advised that there was no right to an attorney at the time of
a request for the chemical test or refused such right then such action violates
the Defendanfs 6th Amendment (U.S. Constitution) and Article I, ~9 (Pa.
Constitution) right to counsel, facially and as applied to the motorist
(vi) It is believe that the Petitioner was advised if he remained silent during the
request process, his silence would be a refusal which statements were in
violation of his right to remain silent as guaranteed by the 5th Amendment of
the U.S. Constitution and Article I, ~9 of the Pa, Constitution.
WHEREFORE, Your Petitioner prays Your Honorable Court to hold a hearing to determine the validity
of the license suspension oullined in Exhibit A.
Dated: ~ ~ ~..o '-t
John . Mancke, Esq., ID No. 07212
Man e, Wagner & Spreha
2233N. Front Street Harrisburg, PA 17110
717-234-7051, Attorney for Petitioner
3
COMMONWEALTH OF PENNSYLVANIA
DEPARTMENT QF TRANSPORTATION
Bureau of Driver Licensing
Mail Date: JANUARY 25, 2005
DENNIS M DARR
APT 4
11 W POMFERT
CARLISLE PA
ST
17013
WID. 050186194469855 001
PROCESSING DATE 01/18/2005
DRIVER LICENSE. 23881991
DATE OF BIRTH 12/03/1975
Dear MR. DARR:
This is an Official Notice of the suspension of your Driving
Privilege as authorized by Section 1547BIII of the
PennsYlvania Vehicle Code. As a result of your violation
of Section 1547 of the Vehicle Code, CHEMICAL TEST REFUSAL,
on 01/07/2005:
. Your driving privilege is SUSPENDED fo~ a pe~iod of 18
MONTH(S) effective 03/01/2005 at 12:01 a.m.
COMPLYING WITH THIS SUSPENSION
You must return all current Pennsylvania driver's licenses,
learner's permits, temporary driver's licenses (camera
cards) in your pnssession on or before 03/01/2005. You may
surrender these items before, 03/01/2005, for earlier
credit; however, you maY not drive after these items are
surrendered.
YOU MAY NOT RETAIN YOUR DRIVER'S LICENSE FOR IDENTIFICATION
PURPOSES. However, you may applY for and obtain a photo
identification card at anY Driver License Center for a cost
of $10.00. You must present two (2) forms of proper
identification (e.g., birth certificate, valid U.S.
passport, marriage certificate, etc.) in order to obtain
your phnto identification card.
You will not ~ece1ve c~edit towa~d se~v1ng any suspension
until we ~eceive you~ license(s). Complete the following
steps to acknowledge this suspension.
1. Return all current Pennsylvania driver's licenses,
learner's permits and/or camera cards to PennDOT. If
you do not have any of these items, send a swnrn
notarized letter stating you are aware of the suspension
of your driving privilege. You' must specifY in your
letter whY you are unable to return your driver's
license. Remember: You may not retain your driver's
license for identification purposes. Please send these
items to:
050186194469855
Pennsylvania Depa~tment of T~anspo~tation
Bu~eau of D~ive~ Licensing
P.O. Box 68693
Ha~~isbu~g, PA 17106-8693
2. Upon ~eceipt, ~eview and acceptance of yoU~ Pennsylvania
d~ive~'s licensees), lea~ne~'s pe~mit(s), and/o~ a swo~n
nota~ized lette~, PennDOT will send YOU a ~eceipt
confi~ming the date that c~edit began. If YOU do not
~eceive a ~eceipt f~om us within 3 weeks, please contact
ou~ office. Othe~wise. yOU will not be given c~edi t
towa~d se~ving this suspension. PennDOT phone numbe~s
are listed at the end of this lette~.
3. If YOU do not ~etu~n all cu~~ent d~ive~ license
p~oducts, we must ~efe~ this matte~ to the PennsYlvania
State Police for p~osecution unde~ SECTION 1571(a) (4)
of the PennsYlvania Vehicle Code.
PAVING THE RESTORATION FEE
Vou must pay a ~esto~ation fee to PennDOT to be ~estored
from a suspension/revocation of you~ driving p~ivilege. To
pay YOu~ restoration fee, complete the following steps:
1. Retu~n the enclosed Application fo~ Restoration. The
amount due is listed on the application.
2. W~ite your drive~'s license number (listed on the first
page) an the check or money order to ensure propel'
c~edit.
3. Follow the payment and mailing inst~uctions an the back
of the application.
APPEAL
Vou have the right to appeal this action to the Court of
Common Pleas (Civil Division) within 30 days of the mail
date, JANUARY 25, 2005, of this letter. If yeu file an
appeal in the County COUl't, the ceu'l't will give you a
time-stamped cel'tified copy of the ap,peal. In order for
YOu~ appeal to be valid, YOU must send this time-stamped
certified COpy of the appeal by certified mail to:
PennsYlvania Department of Transportation
Office of Chief Counsel
Thi~d Floor, Riverfront Office Center
Harrisburg, PA 17104-2516
Remember, this is an OFFICIAL NOTICE OF SUSPENSION. Vou
must return all cur~ent PennsYlvania d~ive~ license p~oducts
to PennDOT by 03/01/2005.
050186194469855
SincerelY,
~~,~
Rebecca L. Bickley, Director
Bureau of Driver Licensing
IN STATE
OUT-OF-STATE
WEB SITE ADDRESS
INFORMATION 7:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m.
1-800-932-4600 TDD IN STATE
717-391-6190 TDD OUT-OF-STATE
www.dmv.state.pa.us
1-800-228-0676
717-391-6191
VERIFICATION
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.
2-?3,-o.s,-
Date
~~)~
Dennis M. Darr
.
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DENNIS M. DARR
Petitioner
: IN THE COURT OF COMMON PLEAS
: CUMBERLAND COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA
v.
: NO. OS- tf&S ~
COMMONWEALTH OF PENNSYLVANIA,
DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION,
BUREAU OF DRIVER LICENSING
Respondent
ORDER
AND NOW, this f.VJdaYOf~\\c\.\\t'\'- ,2005, upon consideration of the within Petition,
it is hereby ordered and decreed that a hearing be held on the ~ day of '-I A MJL. , 2005,
'f
at ~ o'clock in Courtroom -2-. Cumberland County Courthouse, Carlisle, ~ennSYIVania.
Notice of said hearing shall be sent by certified mail to the Department ofT ransportation by Petitioner's
attorney at least sixty days prior to the date of the hearing.
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By the Court,
J.
Distribution:
Prgthonotary's Office
....dOhn B. Mancke, Esq., 2233 N. Front Street, Harrisburg, PA 17110
vP'A Dept ofTransportation, Office of Chief Counsel, 1101 S. Front Street Harrisburg, PA 17104
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DENNIS M. DARR
Petitioner
v.
COMMONWEALTH OF PENNSYLVANIA,
DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION,
BUREAU OF DRIVER LICENSING
Respondent
: IN THE COURT OF COMMON PLEAS
: CUMBERLAND COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA
: NO. 05-968 CIVIL
PRAECIPE TO WITHDRAW
To the Prothonotary:
Please withdraw the above-captioned license suspension appeal.
Dated: June 3,2005
Res
John B. ancke, Esq., ID No. 07212
Mancke, Wagner & Spreha
2233 N. Front Street, Harrisburg, PA 17110
717-234-7051, Attorney for Petitioner
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