Com. v. Hand, T.

2021 Pa. Super. 113, 252 A.3d 1159
CourtSuperior Court of Pennsylvania
DecidedMay 28, 2021
Docket1359 EDA 2020
StatusPublished
Cited by31 cases

This text of 2021 Pa. Super. 113 (Com. v. Hand, T.) 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. Hand, T., 2021 Pa. Super. 113, 252 A.3d 1159 (Pa. Ct. App. 2021).

Opinion

J-A13044-21

2021 PA Super 113

COMMONWEALTH OF PENNSYLVANIA : IN THE SUPERIOR COURT OF : PENNSYLVANIA : v. : : : TAROUN HAND : : Appellant : No. 1359 EDA 2020

Appeal from the PCRA Order Entered July 13, 2020 In the Court of Common Pleas of Philadelphia County Criminal Division at No(s): CP-51-CR-0009972-2014

BEFORE: BENDER, P.J.E., DUBOW, J., and STEVENS, P.J.E.*

OPINION BY STEVENS, P.J.E.: FILED: MAY 28, 2021

Appellant Taroun Hand appeals from the Order entered in the Court of

Common Pleas of Philadelphia County on July 13, 2020, denying his first

petition filed pursuant to the Post Conviction Relief Act.1 Following our review,

we affirm.

The trial Court detailed the procedural history and facts herein as

follows:

On April 5, 2017, following a waiver trial, Taroun Hand (“Appellant”) was found guilty of two counts of simple assault and recklessly endangering another person (“REAP”); and one count of driving under the influence (“DUI”)-controlled substance or metabolite 1st offense; aggravated assault by vehicle while DUI; and DUI of alcohol or controlled substance-impaired ability.1 On June 5, 2017, this court sentenced Appellant to an aggregate term of five to ten years’ incarceration,2 followed by two years of probation. This court further ordered Appellant to pay $1,000.00 ____________________________________________

* Former Justice specially assigned to the Superior Court. 1 42 Pa.C.S.A. ¶¶ 9541-9546. J-A13044-21

in fines, undergo a twelve-month license suspension, and complete alcohol highway safety classes and drug and alcohol assessment.

I. Procedural History-Appellant’s Direct Appeal

On June 8, 2017, Appellant filed a timely post-sentence motion, arguing that his sentence was excessive and “based on the wrong guidelines”; this court denied that motion on June 23, 2017.3 On July 18, 2017, Appellant timely filed a notice of appeal. On July 19, 2017, the trial court ordered Appellant to file a statement of errors complained of on appeal, pursuant to Pa.R.A.P. 1925(b). Appellant timely filed a 1925(b) statement on October 20, 2017, arguing, inter alia, this court erred “in denying [his] Motion to Suppress where the police failed to obtain a warrant to draw the defendant's blood, where exigent circumstances were not present and specific.” This court issued an opinion, on March 16, 2018, asserting that each issue raised by Appellant was without merit. The Superior Court affirmed Appellant's convictions and judgment of sentence in an unpublished memorandum on November 26, 2018. Commonwealth v. Hand, No. 2272 EDA 2017, 2018 WL 6167262 (Pa. Super. Nov. 26, 2018). The Superior Court specifically affirmed “on the basis of the trial court's reasoning.” Id. at *2.

II. Procedural History-Appellant's Current Appeal

Appellant filed a pro se petition under the Post Conviction Relief Act4 ("PCRA") on January 16, 2019. Attorney Peter A. Levin was appointed to represent Appellant on January 24, 2019, and he filed an amended PCRA petition on July 12, 2019 (“Appellant's PCRA petition”). In his petition, Appellant asserted (1) trial counsel “was ineffective at [the] suppression hearing”; and (2) trial counsel was “ineffective at sentencing.” (PCRA Mem. at 12- 14). The Commonwealth filed a Motion to Dismiss Appellant’s petition on January 22, 2020. After reviewing Appellant's petitions, the Commonwealth’s response, and all relevant matters of record, this court determined that Appellant's claims were meritless, did not raise any issue of material fact, and did not warrant an evidentiary hearing. Accordingly, on February 26, 2020, this court issued an order informing Appellant that his petition would be dismissed pursuant to Pa.R.Crim.P. 907, and formally dismissed the petition on July 13, 2020.

-2- J-A13044-21

Two days later, on July 15, 2020, Appellant timely filed a notice of appeal. On July 17, 2020, this court ordered Appellant to file a statement of errors complained of on appeal, pursuant to Pa.R.A.P. 1925(b). Appellant timely filed his 1925(b) statement on August 4, 2020[.]

***

FACTS

Appellant's charges arise from a pre-Birchfield incident, during which he caused a four-vehicle accident and injured two minor pedestrians while driving under the influence of narcotics. On July 8, 2014, around 4:00 p.m., Officer Robert McCarthy (“Officer McCarthy”) and Officer Phillip Scratchard (“Officer Scratchard”) responded to reports of a four-car accident on the 700 block of Lehigh Avenue in Philadelphia. (N.T. 6/1/16 at 6). Upon their arrival, the officers observed a red 1998 Dodge Caravan on the sidewalk, and witnesses identified Appellant as the operator of the vehicle. (Id. at 9-10). A SEPTA (Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority) bus driver informed the officers that she was traveling eastbound on Lehigh Avenue when Appellant, traveling westbound, drove his vehicle across several lanes of traffic and continued into oncoming traffic. (Id. at 31); see also, (N.T. 4/5/17 at 61). Appellant attempted to swerve around the bus, but crashed into the bus's rear, passenger-side tire. (N.T. 6/1/16 at 31). Appellant did not attempt to stop his vehicle, and continued traveling westbound into eastbound traffic. (Id. at 31). Two additional witnesses, Alicia Ford and Myra Alicia, told officers that after Appellant collided with the bus, he struck a second vehicle (a parked, red 1992 Toyota Camry), before colliding with a yet another parked vehicle (a white 2004 Jeep Liberty). (Id. at 31-32). Appellant struck the third vehicle with such force that it was forced onto the sidewalk, where the vehicle struck and injured two pedestrian children. (Id. at 32); (N.T. 4/5/17 at 61). The children's mother, Santa Caraballo (“Caraballo”), testified that she and her two daughters were standing on the sidewalk when they saw Appellant's vehicle “come across multiple lanes of Lehigh Avenue, hit a SEPTA bus, hit two parked cars -- including a white jeep that hit both of her daughters.” (Id. at 61). When the Jeep struck the girls, N.T. (who was thirteen years old at the time) flew through the air, struck a nearby wall, and lost

-3- J-A13044-21

consciousness. (Id. at 61-62). The other minor, E.F. (who was only seven years old), was trapped under the Jeep. (Id. at 62). Caraballo testified E.F.'s body was crushed under the vehicle, and observers were only able to see the child's feet. (Id.). Thankfully, several bystanders managed to remove the minor from under the Jeep. (Id.). Both minors were subsequently transported to St. Christopher's Hospital. (N.T. 4/5/17 at 66-68). Doctors treated N.T. for abrasions and minor injuries, and discharged her from the hospital that night. (Id. at 66-67). After the incident, she continued to suffer from. soreness in her neck and head. (Id. at 67). However, E.F. sustained several severe injuries, including a broken pelvis, a broken leg, and a lacerated liver. (Id. at 67-68). E.F. was hospitalized for nearly three weeks and bedridden for an additional three weeks in her home. (Id. at 68). Doctors placed E.F.’s torso and right leg into full casts, and the child required physical therapy and crutches throughout the majority of the following year. (Id.). As the complainants received medical care, responding officers interviewed Appellant at the scene of the incident. Officer McCarthy noted that Appellant did not smell like alcohol, but he had bloodshot eyes and his speech was so slow and slurred that he was “incoherent” (N.T. 6/1/16 at 11-13, 17-18). Based on the officer’s sixteen years of experience, he believed that Appellant was under the influence of narcotics and unfit to safely operate a motor vehicle. (Id. at 14-15).

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Bluebook (online)
2021 Pa. Super. 113, 252 A.3d 1159, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/com-v-hand-t-pasuperct-2021.