City of Missoula v. Forest

769 P.2d 699, 236 Mont. 129, 1989 Mont. LEXIS 40
CourtMontana Supreme Court
DecidedFebruary 14, 1989
Docket88-460
StatusPublished
Cited by17 cases

This text of 769 P.2d 699 (City of Missoula v. Forest) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Montana Supreme Court primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
City of Missoula v. Forest, 769 P.2d 699, 236 Mont. 129, 1989 Mont. LEXIS 40 (Mo. 1989).

Opinion

MR. JUSTICE HARRISON

delivered the Opinion of the Court.

This is an appeal from the Fourth Judicial District Court, Missoula County, Missoula. Defendant/appellant, Casey Forest, was found guilty by the District Court, after a jury trial, of Driving Under the Influence of Alcohol, a misdemeanor, in violation of § 61-8-401, MCA. We affirm.

On July 22, 1987, appellant joined friends in a birthday celebration at Connie’s Lounge. After consuming a few beers, appellant and two members of the group left the bar, intending to drive home. The two friends rode a motorcycle, while appellant drove his Nissan truck. The vehicles proceeded south on Higgins Avenue at a high rate of speed, weaving between cars as they sped down the street. Near the *131 intersection of Sixth and Higgins avenues, the motorcycle veered into the rearside panel of appellant’s pickup, causing the motorcycle to spin and slide. Both riders fell from the motorcycle and were later taken by ambulance to a hospital. Appellant, uninjured in the accident, drove to a nearby parking lot.

Missoula Police Officer Clifford LePiane, investigated the collision. He testified at trial that upon arrival at the scene, he observed the appellant standing next to his truck in the parking lot. Officer LePiane described appellant as having a flushed face, red watery eyes, somewhat slurred speech, and a moderate smell of alcohol on his breath. In addition, appellant exhibited a boisterous and argumentative behavior. Witnesses identified appellant as having been involved in the accident and described the driving as “big time reckless.” Officer LePiane arrested appellant for driving under the influence of alcohol, a violation of § 61-8-401, MCA.

At the Missoula Police Department, appellant was immediately advised of his rights under Montana’ Implied Consent Law. Appellant refused to take the blood-alcohol test requested by Officer LePiane. However, upon completion of the “booking” procedure, appellant withdrew his refusal and consented to the test. Results of the Intoxilizer 5000 test revealed a blood-alcohol content of .137.

The entire procedure, including initial refusal and later consent to administer the test, was recorded on video tape. However, at one point during the procedure, police officers turned off the video camera to allow an independent accident investigator to obtain information from the appellant. Because of the interruption, a blank portion followed by a brief segment of a prior unrelated DUI appeared on the video tape. After the information was obtained, police restarted the video camera, administered Miranda warnings and continued the booking procedures.

On November 13, 1987, prior to trial at the Municipal Court level, respondent filed a separate alternative charge of Driving With a Blood-Alcohol Content over .10, “per se,” a violation of § 61-8-406, MCA. On December 15, 1987, appellant was convicted of the DUI charge. Appellant appealed to the District Court.

Prior to trial in the District Court, appellant filed numerous motions. While most were denied, the District Court Judge granted a motion to suppress the portion of the video tape prior to the administration of Miranda warnings. The lower court ruled that while evidence of appellant’s refusal to take the breathalyzer test was admissible, other statements made prior to receiving the Miranda *132 warnings were protected communications within the Fifth Amendment. The evidence of appellant’s refusal could be introduced by alternative means.

On May 2, 1988, after a jury trial consolidated the two charges, the District Court entered judgment finding appellant guilty on the DUI charge. Appellant appeals to this Court, presenting four issues for our review:

1. Did probable cause exist to arrest appellant for driving under the influence of alcohol?

2. Was it a violation of the United States and Montana Constitutions to admit evidence of appellant’s refusal to take the Intoxilizer 5000 test under Montana’s Implied Consent Law?

3. Was it error to admit the video tape?

4. Upon appeal from the Municipal Court conviction, does the District Court retain jurisdiction and ability to convict on the alternative charges of Driving Under the Influence and Driving with a Blood Alcohol over .10, “per se?”

ISSUE I

Appellant argues Officer LePiane lacked probable cause to arrest on the DUI charge, contending that absent field sobriety tests, no evidence existed to show the requisite impairment of facilities. Section 61-8-401, MCA. However, our review of the record leads to a contrary conclusion.

Probable cause must be based on an assessment of all relevant circumstances, evaluated in light of the knowledge of a trained law enforcement officer. State v. Ellinger (Mont. 1986), [223 Mont. 349,] 725 P.2d 1201, 43 St.Rep. 1778. More than mere suspicion, probable cause requires facts and circumstances sufficient to warrant a reasonable person to believe that a suspect has committed an offense. State v. Lee (Mont. 1988), [232 Mont. 105,] 754 P.2d 512, 45 St.Rep. 903. As our prior holdings demonstrate, probable cause is a concept encompassing a spectrum of varying circumstances.

In the instant case, the record is replete with evidence supporting a DUI offense. The accident was cause by reckless and dangerous conduct, resulting in serious injuries. Officer LePiane observed appellant’s bloodshot eyes and flushed complexion, and smelled a moderate odor of alcohol on appellant’s breath. In addition, based on prior dealing with appellant, Officer LePiane recollected appel *133 lant’s behavior as calm and polite, a dramatic change from the argumentative behavior exhibited after the accident.

Certainly, field sobriety tests are a tool which can assure the officer that the person is in fact under the effect of intoxicating beverages. However, the absence of such tests do not fatally flaw the probable cause determination. As discussed above, sufficient evidence existed to establish probable cause for arrest. We find no merit in appellant’s first contention.

ISSUE II

This Court has long adhered to the rule that neither the results of the breathalizer test nor a defendant’s refusal to submit to the breathalizer test are communications protected by the Fifth Amendment. State v. Jackson (1983), 206 Mont. 338, 672 P.2d 255, citing South Dakota v. Neville (1983), 459 U.S. 553, 103 S.Ct. 916, 74 L.Ed.2d 748; State v. Armfield (1984), 214 Mont. 229, 693 P.2d 1226. Therefore, our discussion of the principle will remain brief.

As a part of the program to deter drinkers from driving, Montana has enacted an Implied Consent Law.

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Bluebook (online)
769 P.2d 699, 236 Mont. 129, 1989 Mont. LEXIS 40, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/city-of-missoula-v-forest-mont-1989.