Commonwealth v. Borrin

80 A.3d 1219, 622 Pa. 422, 2013 WL 5927624, 2013 Pa. LEXIS 2589
Supreme Court of Pennsylvania·Decided October 30, 2013·Published·Cited by 111 cases

Opinions

OPINION ANNOUNCING THE JUDGMENT OF THE COURT

Justice TODD.

In this case on appeal by allowance, the trial court issued two orders imposing sentence upon Appellee, Jeffrey Michael Bor-rin; the first, on May 18, 2006, and the second, three years later, on June 12, 2009. On appeal, the Superior Court held that the trial court did not have the inherent power to issue the latter order. For the reasons that follow, we affirm.

In the early afternoon hours of July 24, 2005, in connection with a charity event, several persons were riding motorcycles southbound on Route 309 in Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania. At that same time, Appel-lee was driving his vehicle on Route 309 in the opposite direction. His child was in the back seat of the car. As the motorcycles approached, Appellee crossed the double yellow line and drove directly into them. One person, William Delaney, was killed, and four others, Linda Delaney, Paul Huber, Mark Hozlock, and Michael Jacobs, were seriously injured. A blood test to which Appellee submitted upon his arrest showed he had .76 nanograms of morphine in his system.

As a result, Appellee was charged in a criminal information with the following offenses: Count 1, homicide by vehicle while driving under the influence; Count 2, homicide by vehicle; Counts 3, 4, 5, 6, aggravated assault by vehicle while driving under the influence; Counts 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, accidents involving death or personal injury while not properly licensed; Count 12, endangering the welfare of children; Counts 13, 14, driving while under the influence of alcohol or a controlled substance; Counts 15, 16, recklessly endangering another person; Count 17, driving while operating privilege is suspended/revoked; Count 18, driving while operating privilege is suspended/revoked, driving under the influence related; Count 19, driving on the right side of the roadways; and Count 20, reckless driving.1 On March 20, 2006, Appellee entered an open guilty plea to all 20 counts in the information in the Court of Common Pleas of Luzerne County, before the Honorable Chester B. Muro-ski.

On May 18, 2006, following a hearing, Appellee was sentenced. In open court, the trial court pronounced Appellee’s sentence as follows:

THE COURT: ... Count 1 with the mergers, 36 to 72 months. [Count 3] Aggravated assault, the one with Mrs. Linda Delaney, 16 to 32 months consecutive.
The one aggravated assault, Count 4, with Paul Huber, 12 to 24 months consecutive.
Count 5, involving Mark Hozlock, 12 to 24 months consecutive.
Count 6, involving Michael Jacobs, aggravated assault, 12 to 24 months consecutive.
[1221] [Count 7] Accidents involving death or severe injury involving William Delaney, 16 to 32 months consecutive.
[Counts] Eight, nine, ten and 11, they will all be probation, consecutive to each other, one year on each. That’s eight, nine, ten and 11.
[Count 12] Endangering the welfare of a child, your own son, sir, three to six months consecutive.

Footnotes

Counts 15 and 16, six months consecutive. Count 16, six months probation consecutive.
There are summaries [Counts 17, 18, 19, 20] involving fines. We’ll impose the standard range on the fines, plus one [Count 18] carries a mandatory 60 days. That will be consecutive.
[[Image here]]
THE COURT: [Appellee] gets [258 days] credit for time served.

N.T., 5/18/06,17-18.

On that same day, Appellee’s sentence was reduced to writing. The trial court’s May 18, 2006 sentencing order states:

Sentence on [Case No.] 3032-05
ct 1 Homicide by vehicle while DUIF2 —► 36-72 mo. SCI
ct 2 Homicide by vehicleF3 -> merge w/ct 1
ct 3 Aggravated assault by vehicle while DUIF2 >16-32 mo. cons, ct 1
ct 4 Aggravated assault by vehicle while DUIF2 12-24 mo. cons, ct 1
ct 5 Aggravated assault by vehicle while DUIF2 —> 12-24 mo. cons, ct 1
ct 6 Aggravated assault by vehicle while DUIF2 -> 12-24 mo. cons, ct 1
ct 7 Accidents involving death/injury while not prop. lic.F3 -+ 16-32 mo. cons, to ct Í
ct 8 Accidents Involving de.ath/injury while not prop. lic.F3 --> ct 9 Accidents involving death/injury while not prop. lic.F3 -> ct 10 Accidents involving death/injury while not prop. lic.F3 -> ct 11 Accidents involving death/injury while not prop. llc.F3 —> Probation 1 yr cons, to each other* and ct.1
ct 12 Endangering welfare of children* -» 3-6 mo. cons, ct 1
ct 13 Dll I (3802d1 li) —> M1 merge into ct 1
ct 14 DUI (3802d2)MI -> merge info ct 1
ct 15 Recklessly endangering a/o person™ — ► 1 6 mo. probation ct 16 Recklessly endangering a/o person™ —> J cons, to Ct 1
[[Image here]]
[1222] Summary Offenses:
[ct 17] Driv while oper. priv. is susp/revoked -> $200 1543a
[ct 18] Driv while oper. priv. is susp/revoked -> $500 1543b1
[ct 19] Driv on right side of roadways 3301a -> $25
[ct 20] Reckless Driving 3736a -> $200
*
60 days incarceration consec. to ct 1 (on 1543b1)
258 days credit time served 8/27/05-3/9/05 & 3/14/06-5/18/06

Trial Court Order, 5/18/06.3,4

Neither party filed a motion to modify sentence in the trial court and no appeal was filed from the May 18, 2006 order. On June 9, 2006, Appellee was committed to the custody of the Department of Corrections (“DOC”) to commence serving his jail sentence.

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Commonwealth v. Borrin, 80 A.3d 1219, 622 Pa. 422, 2013 WL 5927624, 2013 Pa. LEXIS 2589 (Pa. 2013).

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