Bringle v. State

745 N.E.2d 821, 2001 Ind. App. LEXIS 372, 2001 WL 216669
CourtIndiana Court of Appeals
DecidedMarch 6, 2001
Docket41A04-0006-CR-240
StatusPublished
Cited by3 cases

This text of 745 N.E.2d 821 (Bringle v. State) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Indiana Court of Appeals primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Bringle v. State, 745 N.E.2d 821, 2001 Ind. App. LEXIS 372, 2001 WL 216669 (Ind. Ct. App. 2001).

Opinion

OPINION

VAIDIK, Judge

Case Summary

Jeffrey L. Bringle appeals his convictions of Refusal to Self Identify, a class C misdemeanor, 1 and Resisting Law Enforcement, a class A misdemeanor. 2 In particular, he claims that the trial court erred in refusing his tendered instructions and that his convictions were not supported by sufficient evidence. Because we find that the trial court did not err and that sufficient evidence was presented, we affirm.

Facts and Procedural History

On August 23, 1999, Johnson County Sheriff's Deputy James Drake was patrolling U.S. 31, clocking vehicles with a radar gun to enforce speed limits. Deputy Drake clocked Bringle traveling T7 miles per hour in a 55 miles per hour zone. Deputy Drake pulled behind Bringle's vehicle, activated the emergency lights on his marked police vehicle, and pulled Bringle over to the side of the road.

Deputy Drake approached Bringle's vehicle, informed Bringle that he stopped him for exceeding the posted speed limit, and requested Bringle's driver's license and registration. In response to Deputy Drake's request, Bringle held his license up to the window. Deputy Drake asked" Bringle to remove his license from his wallet and hand it to him. Bringle refused and, instead of handing Deputy Drake his driver's license, tried to hand him a copy of a statutory provision. 3 Deputy Drake warned Bringle that he could be arrested and taken to jail if he did not relinquish his license as requested. Bringle again refused to comply with Deputy Drake's request. Deputy Drake advised Bringle that he was going to call a tow truck, impound his car, and take him to jail.

Deputy Drake contacted his supervisor and asked for backup. His supervisor directed him to return to Bringle's vehicle and reiterate to Bringle that he could be arrested for not identifying himself. Deputy Drake did as he was ordered, but Bringle continued to refuse to hand over his driver's license.

Shortly thereafter, Sergeant Werden and Lieutenant McLaughlin arrived on scene to assist Deputy Drake. Sergeant Werden made an additional request for Bringle's license, informing Bringle that the license was needed so that a citation could be issued. Bringle told Sergeant Werden that he did not have to give up his license, claiming that the law did not require him to do so. Record at 400. Subsequently, Sergeant Werden made several requests for Bringle to get out of his car. Bringle remained in the car.

Due to Bringle's failure to comply with the requests for him to exit the vehicle, Lieutenant McLaughlin attempted to gain entry into Bringle's vehicle using a "slim *824 jim". Record at 382. Bringle thwarted Lieutenant's McLaughlin's efforts by pressing down on the vehicle's lock button. Thereafter, Lieutenant McLaughlin placed a hose through the opening on the passenger side window and activated a pepper spray. Bringle started his vehicle and Deputy Drake placed "stop sticks" on the road in front of him. Record at 881-82.

Meanwhile, Sergeant Werden managed to gain entry into the vehicle. Bringle was ordered out of his vehicle, but he remained inside, clutching the steering wheel. Sergeant Werden and Deputy Drake forced Bringle's fingers away from the steering wheel and removed him from the vehicle. Onee removed from the vehicle, Bringle continued to resist the deputies by trying to keep his wrists from them as they attempted to place him in the handcuffs. Bringle was placed on the ground in the emergency lane and handcuffed.

A jury convicted Bringle of Refusal to Identify Self, a class C misdemeanor, and Resisting Law Enforcement, a class A misdemeanor.

Discussion and Decision

Bringle challenges his convictions for Refusing to Identify Self and Resisting Law Enforcement. He alleges two bases upon which his convictions should be overturned. First, he asserts that the trial court erred by refusing to give two of his tendered instructions. Second, he maintains that his convictions were not supported by sufficient evidence. We address each of these arguments in turn.

I. Refusal to Give Tendered Instructions

Bringle contends that the trial court erred in refusing to give his tendered Final Instruction No. 8 and No. 9. . In deciding whether a trial court erred in refusing to give tendered instructions, we give great deference to the trial court's decision. State v. Snyder, 732 N.E.2d 1240, 1244 (Ind.Ct.App.2000). It is firmly established that the manner of instructing the jury lies within the trial court's sound discretion. Id. In determining whether the trial court erroneously refused a tendered instruction, we consider (1) whether the tendered instruction correctly states the law, (2) whether there is evidence in the record to support giving the instruction, and (8) whether the substance of the instruction is covered by other instructions. Id. at 1244-45.

Bringle's tendered Final Instruction No. 8 and No. 9 were as follows:

Defendant's Preliminary and Final Instruction No. 8
The statute which sets forth the Duties of Licensees is statute IC 34-28-5-8 as follows:
IC 9-24-13
Chapter, 13. Rights and Duties of Licensees and Permittees
IC 9-24-13-3 .
Sec. 8 An individual holding a permit or license issued under this article must have the permit or license in the individual's immediate possession when driving or operating a motor vehicle. The per-mittee or licensee shall display the license or permit upon demand of a court or a police officer authorized by law to enforce motor vehicle rules.
As added by P.L.2-1991, SEC. 12.
Defendant's Preliminary and Final Instruction No. 9
The definition of the following words apply where ever used during these proceedings:
Display: An opening or unfolding, exhibition, - manifestation, - ostentatious show, exhibition for effect, parade.
*825 Deliver: Give, transfer; yield possession or control of; make or hand over; make delivery of.
Authority: For Display-20th Century Lites v. Goodman, ... [64 Cal. App.2d Supp. 988] 149 P.2d [88] 89, 91. Similar definition in Webster's Third New International Dictionary Unabridged. For Deliver-Webster's Third New International Dictionary Unabridged.

Record at 90.

Bringle argues that the refused instructions were: (1) correct statements of the law; (2) supported by sufficient evidence so as to necessitate the giving of the two instructions; and (8) not covered by any other instructions given by the trial court. While we agree with Bringle as to his third point, we are not convinced of the validity of his first two points.

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Related

Johnson v. State
933 N.E.2d 544 (Indiana Court of Appeals, 2010)
Bowden v. Town of Speedway, Ind.
539 F. Supp. 2d 1092 (S.D. Indiana, 2008)
Cook v. Whitsell-Sherman
771 N.E.2d 1211 (Indiana Court of Appeals, 2002)

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Bluebook (online)
745 N.E.2d 821, 2001 Ind. App. LEXIS 372, 2001 WL 216669, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/bringle-v-state-indctapp-2001.