Com. v. Cerqueira, K.

CourtSuperior Court of Pennsylvania
DecidedApril 9, 2019
Docket58 WDA 2018
StatusUnpublished

This text of Com. v. Cerqueira, K. (Com. v. Cerqueira, K.) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Superior Court of Pennsylvania primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Com. v. Cerqueira, K., (Pa. Ct. App. 2019).

Opinion

J-A05004-19

NON-PRECEDENTIAL DECISION - SEE SUPERIOR COURT I.O.P. 65.37

COMMONWEALTH OF PENNSYLVANIA : IN THE SUPERIOR COURT OF : PENNSYLVANIA Appellee : : v. : : KEITH DAVID CERQUEIRA : : Appellant : No. 58 WDA 2018

Appeal from the Judgment of Sentence December 15, 2017 In the Court of Common Pleas of Westmoreland County Criminal Division at No(s): CP-65-CR-0005541-2016

BEFORE: GANTMAN, P.J.E., SHOGAN, J., and MURRAY, J.

MEMORANDUM BY GANTMAN, P.J.E.: FILED APRIL 09, 2019

Appellant, Keith David Cerqueira, appeals from the judgment of

sentence entered in the Westmoreland County Court of Common Pleas,

following his bench trial convictions for driving under the influence (“DUI”)—

general impairment, DUI—high rate of alcohol, reckless driving, failure to keep

right, and period for required lighted lamps.1 We affirm.

In its opinion, the trial court fully and correctly sets forth the relevant

facts and procedural history of this case. Therefore, we have no reason to

restate them. We add the following facts that Appellant’s blood draw occurred

at 1:53 a.m. on September 21, 2016, which was 2 hours and 16 minutes after

Officer Piraino initiated the traffic stop. On February 1, 2018, the court

____________________________________________

1 75 Pa.C.S.A. §§ 3802(a)(1), (b), 3736(a), 3301(a), and 4302(a)(1), respectively. J-A05004-19

ordered Appellant to file a concise statement of errors complained of on appeal

pursuant to Pa.R.A.P. 1925(b). Appellant timely complied on February 21,

2018.

Appellant raises the following issues for our review:

WHETHER THE COURT ERRED IN CONVICTING [APPELLANT] OF RECKLESS DRIVING WHEN THERE IS NO EVIDENCE HIS ERRATIC DRIVING POSED ANY RISK TO ANY OTHER MOTORIST ON THE ROAD[?]

WHETHER THE COURT ERRED IN ADMITTING THE EVIDENCE OF [APPELLANT]’S BLOOD TESTING WHEN THERE WAS NO EVIDENCE WHY THE COMMONWEALTH COULD NOT HAVE CALIBRATED THE GREENSBURG POLICE’S BREATH TESTING MACHINE AND TAKEN A BREATH TEST WITHIN THE TWO HOURS REQUIRED BY 75 PA.C.S.A. § 3802[?]

WHETHER THE COURT’S CREDIBILITY DETERMINATIONS ARE VALID CONSIDERING [THAT] OFFICER PIRAINO ADMITTED HE FAILED TO DO HIS DUTY [TO] READ [APPELLANT] THE STANDARD O’CONNELL[2] WARNINGS[?]

(Appellant’s Brief at 2).

As a preliminary matter, issues regarding witness credibility implicate

the weight of the evidence. Commonwealth v. Palo, 24 A.3d 1050, 1055

(Pa.Super. 2011), appeal denied, 613 Pa. 663, 34 A.3d 828 (2011).

Generally, a challenge to the weight of the evidence must be preserved by a

motion for a new trial. Pa.R.Crim.P. 607. The Rule provides:

Rule 607. Challenges to the Weight of the Evidence

2 Commonwealth, Dept. of Transp., Bureau of Traffic Safety v. O’Connell, 521 Pa. 242, 555 A.2d 873 (1989).

-2- J-A05004-19

(A) A claim that the verdict was against the weight of the evidence shall be raised with the trial judge in a motion for a new trial:

(1) orally, on the record, at any time before sentencing;

(2) by written motion at any time before sentencing; or

(3) in a post-sentence motion.

Pa.R.Crim.P. 607(A)(1)-(3). “As noted in the comment to Rule 607, the

purpose of this rule is to make it clear that a challenge to the weight of the

evidence must be raised with the trial judge or it will be waived.”

Commonwealth v. Gillard, 850 A.2d 1273, 1277 (Pa.Super. 2004), appeal

denied, 581 Pa. 672, 863 A.2d 1143 (2004). A claim challenging the weight

of the evidence generally cannot be raised for the first time in a Rule 1925(b)

statement. Commonwealth v. Burkett, 830 A.2d 1034 (Pa.Super. 2003).

An appellant’s failure to avail himself of any of the prescribed methods for

presenting a weight of the evidence issue to the trial court constitutes waiver

of that claim, even if the trial court responds to the claim in its Rule 1925(a)

opinion. Id.

Instantly, Appellant failed to challenge the credibility of witnesses before

the trial court in a motion for a new trial. See Pa.R.Crim.P. 607; Palo, supra.

Rather, Appellant raised his weight claim for the first time in his Rule 1925(b)

statement. See Burkett, supra. Thus, his third issue on appeal is waived.

See Pa.R.Crim.P. 607; Gillard, supra; Burkett, supra.

With respect to Appellant’s issues one and two, after a thorough review

-3- J-A05004-19

of the record, the briefs of the parties, the applicable law, and the well-

reasoned opinion of the Honorable Rita Donovan Hathaway, we conclude those

issues merit no relief. The trial court opinion comprehensively discusses and

properly disposes of those questions presented. (See Trial Court Opinion,

filed February 26, 2018, at 7-11) (finding: (2) Commonwealth established

good cause for Appellant’s delayed blood draw; Officer Piraino accommodated

Appellant’s request for breath test even though they had already arrived at

hospital and Penn Township station did not have breathalyzer; upon arriving

at Greensburg Police Station, Officer Piraino observed Appellant for required

20-minute period, however, Officer Piraino was subsequently informed

breathalyzer was not functioning properly; at that point, Appellant stated he

would voluntarily submit to blood test; blood test occurred shortly after 2 hour

mark; Officer Piraino testified he did not observe Appellant drink alcohol

during time between traffic stop and chemical test; (1) Appellant’s actions

created substantial risk of traffic accident/injury where, at 11:30 p.m., he

drove in wrong direction, without headlights, for significant period of time,

making himself invisible to any driver traveling in correct lane; Commonwealth

presented sufficient evidence to convict Appellant of reckless driving). The

record supports the trial court’s rationale. Accordingly, Appellant’s third issue

is waived; with respect to Appellant’s first and second issues on appeal, we

affirm based on the trial court opinion.

Judgment of sentence affirmed.

-4- J-A05004-19

Judgment Entered.

Joseph D. Seletyn, Esq. Prothonotary

Date: 4/9/2019

-5- Circulated 03/14/2019 10:26 AM

IN THE COURT OF COMMON PLEAS OF WESTMORELAND COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA - CRIMINAL DIVISION

COMMONWEALTH OF PENNSYLVANIA ) ) vs. ) ) No. 5541 C 2016 KEITH DAVID CERQUEIRA, ) Defendant. )

STATEMENT OF THE COURT ISSUED PURSUANT TO PA.R.A.P. RULE 1925

AND NOW, thisc9bday of February, 2018, it appearing to the Court that the

Defendant filed a Notice of Appeal from the judgment of sentence dated December 15,

2017, and that Defendant filed a Concise Statement of the Errors Complained of on

Appeal as Ordered by this Court, pursuant to Rule 1925(a) of the Rules of Appellate

Procedure, the reasons for Defendant's conviction are as follows:

I. FACTUAL AND PROCEDURAL HISTORY:

The charges in this case arise from a traffic stop and arrest that occurred on

September 20, 2016.

Defendant was charged with one count of driving under the influence of alcohol or

controlled substance, 75 Pa.C.S.A. §3802(a)(l), one count of driving under the influence

of alcohol or controlled substance, 75 Pa.C.S.A.

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Related

Com., Dept. of Transp. v. O'CONNELL
555 A.2d 873 (Supreme Court of Pennsylvania, 1989)
Com. v. Jaynes
863 A.2d 1144 (Supreme Court of Pennsylvania, 2004)
Commonwealth v. Burkett
830 A.2d 1034 (Superior Court of Pennsylvania, 2003)
Commonwealth v. Ragan
652 A.2d 925 (Superior Court of Pennsylvania, 1995)
Commonwealth v. Palo
24 A.3d 1050 (Superior Court of Pennsylvania, 2011)
Commonwealth v. Gillard
850 A.2d 1273 (Superior Court of Pennsylvania, 2004)
Commonwealth v. Feliciano
67 A.3d 19 (Superior Court of Pennsylvania, 2013)
Commonwealth v. Thompson
93 A.3d 478 (Superior Court of Pennsylvania, 2014)

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Bluebook (online)
Com. v. Cerqueira, K., Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/com-v-cerqueira-k-pasuperct-2019.