Cameron Byram v. State

478 S.W.3d 905, 2015 Tex. App. LEXIS 10632, 2015 WL 6134114
CourtCourt of Appeals of Texas
DecidedOctober 15, 2015
DocketNO. 02-14-00343-CR
StatusPublished
Cited by4 cases

This text of 478 S.W.3d 905 (Cameron Byram v. State) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Court of Appeals of Texas primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Cameron Byram v. State, 478 S.W.3d 905, 2015 Tex. App. LEXIS 10632, 2015 WL 6134114 (Tex. Ct. App. 2015).

Opinions

OPINION

BILL MEIER, JUSTICE

I. Introduction

In one issue, appellant Cameron Byram appeals the trial court’s denial of his motion to suppress, which was followed by Byram pleading guilty to driving while intoxicated with an open container. We will reverse and remand.

II. Background

Fort Worth Police Officer Figueroa1 said that on July 4, 2013, he was in downtown Fort Worth “conducting preventative patrol” when he found himself stopped at a light in his patrol vehicle alongside By-ram’s vehicle. Figueroa said that his own window was down and that the passenger’s window on Byram’s vehicle was rolled all the way down. Figueroa testified that the female passenger in Byram’s vehicle drew his attention because she “was sitting in the passenger seat ... hunched over.” Figueroa averred that he “didn’t see any movement at all [from] the female.” Given the female passenger’s posture, Figueroa averred that he believed the passenger to be unconscious and “possibly [in need of] some medical attention.” According to Figueroa, he suspected she might be suffering from “alcohol poisoning.” ‘

Figueroa also testified that he could smell the “odor of an alcoholic beverage coming from that vehicle.” Figueroa said that he was “maybe less than ten feet” away from Byram’s vehicle at the time. According to Figueroa, Byram was looking forward and not attending the female passenger. Figueroa said that he “yelled over to [Byram] to ask him if [the female passenger] was okay” but that Byram “ignored” Figueroa despite Figueroa’s belief that Byram could hear him.

Figueroa testified that when the light turned green, Byram drove off. Figueroa interpreted Byram’s actions as an attempt to “avoid contact with the police.” Figueroa said that Byram’s actions further raised his concerns for the passenger. Thus, Figueroa conducted a traffic stop. Figueroa said that upon stopping Byram, he immediately checked on the passenger; that she was “barely conscious”; and that it appeared to him that she “had some sort of medical problem.” At that time, Figueroa said that he determined the passenger had “vomited ... all over the passenger side of that vehicle.” Figueroa called for medical attention, but when they arrived, the female passenger refused their assistance.

Figueroa téstifíed that Byram had not committed a traffic offense; that there were not technical violations present on Byram’s vehicle prior to him conducting the stop; and that the only reason he stopped Byram’s vehicle was to perform a safety check on the passenger. Upon [908]*908stopping Byram’s vehicle, Figueroa said that he began to simultaneously conduct.a safety check on the passenger and investigate Byram for driving while intoxicated (DWI). At the suppression hearing, the State stipulated that the stop of Byram’s vehicle was not conducted pursuant to a warrant and that Byram’s car was in the vicinity of several hospitals within a five-mile radius. The trial court denied By-ram’s, motion to suppress. Byram then entered a plea of guilty, and the trial court assessed punishment at ninety days in jail and a $750 fíne. The trial court then suspended* Byram’s sentence and placed him on community supervision for eighteen months. This appeal followed.

III. Discussion

In one issue, Byram argues that the trial court erred by denying his motion to suppress. Specifically, Byram argues that the community caretaking exception to the Fourth Amendment does not apply to the facts of this case.. The State argues that the community caretaking exception applies in this case or, in the alternative, that Figueroa possessed reasonable suspicion to stop Byram.

A. Standard of Review and Fourth Amendment Law

We review a trial court’s ruling on a motion to suppress evidence under a bifurcated standard of review. Amador v. State, 221 S.W.3d 666, 673 (Tex.Crim.App.2007); Guzman v. State, 955 S.W.2d 85, 89 (Tex.Crim.App.1997). We give almost total deference to a trial court’s rulings on questions of historical fact and applieation-of-law-to-fact questions that turn on an evaluation of credibility and demeanor, but we review de novo application-of-law-to-fact questions that do not turn on credibility and demeanor. Amador, 221 S.W.3d at 673; Estrada v. State, 154 S.W.3d 604, 607 (Tex.Crim.App.2005); Johnson v. State, 68 S.W.3d 644, 652-53 (Tex.Crim.App.2002).

The Fourth Amendment protects against unreasonable searches and seizures by government officials. U.S. Const, amend. IV; Wiede v. State, 214 S.W.3d 17, 24 (Tex.Crim.App.2007). To suppress evidence because of an alleged Fourth Amendment violation, the defendant bears the initial burden of producing evidence that rebuts the presumption of proper police conduct. Amador, 221 S.W.3d at 672; see Young v. State, 283 S.W.3d 854, 872 (Tex.Crim.App.2009), cert. denied, 558 U.S. 1093, 130 S.Ct. 1015, 175 L.Ed.2d 622 (2009). A defendant satisfies this burden by establishing that a search or seizure occurred without a warrant. Amador, 221 S.W.3d at 672. Once the defendant has made this showing, the burden of proof shifts to the State, which is then required to establish that the search or seizure was conducted pursuant to a warrant or was reasonable. Id. at 672-73; Torres v. State, 182 S.W.3d 899, 902 (Tex.Crim.App.2005); Ford v. State, 158 S.W.3d 488, 492 (Tex. Crim.App.2005).

Under the Fourth Amendment, a warrantless arrest is unreasonable per se unless it fits into one of a “few specifically established and well delineated exceptions.” Minnesota v. Dickerson, 508 U.S. 366, 372, 113 S.Ct. 2130, 2135, 124 L.Ed.2d 334 (1993); Torres, 182 S.W.3d at 901.

B. Community Caretaking Exception

The Court of Criminal Appeals has determined that a search or seizure is not “unreasonable” when it is done pursuant to a valid exercise of the community caretaking function. Wright v. State, 7 S.W.3d 148, 151 (Tex.Crim.App.1999) (citing Cady v. Dombrowski, 413 U.S. 433, 441, 93 S.Ct. 2523, 2528, 37 L.Ed.2d 706 (1973)). This exception is one of “narrow [909]*909applicability.” Wright, 7 S.W.3d at 152. Indeed, as the Court stated, “Only in the most unusual circumstances” will the community caretaking exception be applicable. Id, In Wright, the Court provided a list of four nonexclusive factors to be considered when deciding whether a search or seizure is justified by this narrow exception:

(1) the nature and level of the distress exhibited by the individual;
(2) the location of the individual;

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Bluebook (online)
478 S.W.3d 905, 2015 Tex. App. LEXIS 10632, 2015 WL 6134114, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/cameron-byram-v-state-texapp-2015.