Commonwealth v. Evans

45 Pa. D. & C.5th 390
CourtPennsylvania Court of Common Pleas, Lawrence County
DecidedFebruary 20, 2015
DocketNo. 968 of 2014, C.R.
StatusPublished

This text of 45 Pa. D. & C.5th 390 (Commonwealth v. Evans) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Pennsylvania Court of Common Pleas, Lawrence County primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Commonwealth v. Evans, 45 Pa. D. & C.5th 390 (Pa. Super. Ct. 2015).

Opinion

PICCIONE, J.,

Before the court for disposition is the omnibus pretrial motion (hereinafter, the “motion”) filed onbehalf ofthe defendant, Duane Germaine Evans (hereinafter, the “defendant”). Pursuant to the information filed on November 26, 2014, the defendant is charged with fleeing or attempting to elude pursuant to 75 Pa. C.S.A., § 3733(a), flight to avoid apprehension pursuant to 18 Pa. C.S.A. § 5126(a), reckless driving pursuant to 75 Pa. C.S.A. § 3736(a), careless driving pursuant to 75 Pa. C.S.A. § 3714(a), possession of a controlled substance pursuant to 35 P.S. § 780-116(a)(16), possession with the intent to deliver a controlled substance pursuant to 35 P.S. § 780-116(a)(30), and possession of drug paraphernalia [392]*392pursuant to 35 P.S. § 780-116(a)(32).

The above-listed charges arise from events alleged to have occurred on June 18, 2014. On that date, at approximately midnight, officer Ronald Piche (hereinafter, “Officer Piche”) of the City of New Castle Police Department was on duty and traveling in a marked police cruiser on McClelland Avenue toward Booker Drive in the City of New Castle, Lawrence County, Pennsylvania. As he was approaching Booker Drive, Officer Piche observed a silver Chevrolet Malibu as it made a left turn onto McClelland Avenue from Booker Drive. Officer Piche’s cruiser was facing the front of the silver Chevrolet Malibu, approximately five to ten feet away, and he observed the defendant operating the vehicle. Officer Piche recalled that it was a clear evening, without precipitation, and he did not see any other individual in the vehicle at that time. Officer Piche recognized the defendant driving the vehicle because approximately two days prior, narcotics detective Richard Ryhal had advised Officer Piche that the District Attorney’s Office of Lawrence County had issued an arrest warrant for the defendant for felony drug related charges and that the defendant had been advised of the charges and failed to turn himself in. As a result, upon observing the defendant, Officer Piche turned his vehicle around and activated the emergency lights and sirens on the police cruiser. The defendant continued onto McClelland Avenue toward West State Street. The defendant came to a stop sign, stopped, and made a left turn onto West State Street and accelerated the vehicle to a high rate of speed. Officer Piche continued to pursue the defendant and notified the dispatch center of the situation.

[393]*393The defendant eventually stopped the vehicle on West North Street, and three individuals exited the vehicle and ran in the direction of the Westview Terrace apartment complex. Officer Piche believed that the defendant was among the three who ran, so he exited the cruiser and began to chase the individuals. Officer Piche then saw that the defendant remained inside the vehicle. While Officer Piche was outside the cruiser, the defendant drove away at a high rate of speed. Officer Piche had already identified the defendant so he did not chase him any further.

The defendant was eventually apprehended. The vehicle was located one to two days after the above-described incident and was towed to the vehicle garage at the New Castle police station. Officer Piche learned that the vehicle was a rental vehicle, which was not rented by the defendant. An inventory search was performed on the vehicle, and the defendant’s Pennsylvania photo identification card was located. Officer Piche learned from the dispatch center that the defendant’s driver’s license was under suspension for a DUI related offense. Approximately thirty minutes after Officer Piche first observed the defendant, Ms. Margo Jackson reported that the Chevrolet Malibu that she rented was stolen. Officer Piche called Ms. Jackson, who informed Officer Piche that she and the defendant are friends.

The following day, an individual from the rental company, enterprise, arrived at the police station to pick up the vehicle. Prior to releasing the vehicle, Officer Branddon Hallowich (hereinafter, “Officer Hallowich”), also of the City of New Castle Police Department, conducted a search of the vehicle. The search produced [394]*394a clear plastic baggie, which was above the driver’s seat visor in the headliner. Corporal Fred Buswell conducted a NIK test on the substance inside the plastic baggie, which tested positive for the presence of cocaine. The crack cocaine was subsequently weighed to be 0.7 grams. Additionally, the police were only able to apprehend two of the three other occupants of the vehicle. One occupant of the vehicle was a juvenile. When he was apprehended, approximately one thousand dollars was located on his person.

As a result of these events, the defendant was charged with the above-listed offenses. On October 1, 2014, the defendant’s preliminary hearing was held before Magisterial District Judge Melissa A. Amodie, the testimony of which is set forth above. The defendant filed the instant motion on November 20,2014, and on January 7, 2015, the court held a hearing on the omnibus pretrial motion. In the motion to suppress evidence, the defendant argues that his constitutional right to privacy was violated when the vehicle was seized and searched without a warrant and all evidence obtained as a result of the search should be suppressed. In the petition for writ of habeas corpus, the defendant argues that the Commonwealth has failed its burden to produce the requisite evidence to establish a prima facie case for the charges against the defendant and requests this court dismiss all charges as a result. The court will address each matter seriatim.

I. Motion to Suppress Evidence

Where a motion to suppress has been filed, the burden is on the Commonwealth to establish by a preponderance [395]*395of the evidence that the challenged evidence is admissible. Comm. v. Lindblom, 854 A.2d 604, 605 (Pa. Super. 2004). At the conclusion of the hearing, the suppression court judge shall enter findings of fact and conclusions of law as to whether the evidence was lawfully obtained. Pennsylvania Rules of Criminal Procedure Rule 581(1). “It is within the suppression court’s sole province as factfinder to pass on the credibility of witnesses and the weight to be given their testimony.” Comm. v. Elmobdy, 823 A.2d 180, 183 (Pa. Super. 2003). The suppression court judge is entitled to believe all, part, or none of the evidence presented. Comm. v. Snell, 811 A.2d 581, 584 (Pa. Super. 2002). “When faced with conflicting testimony, a suppression court, as factfinder, may pass upon credibility, and these findings will not be disturbed when supported by the record.” Comm. v. Fahy, 516 A.2d 689, 696 (Pa. 1986).

Preliminarily, the defendant must first establish his standing and the expectation of privacy within the vehicle in order to challenge the search. Comm. v. Perea, 791 A.2d 427, 429 (Pa. Super. 2002). In order to establish that he had standing, a defendant must establish one of the following:

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Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
45 Pa. D. & C.5th 390, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/commonwealth-v-evans-pactcompllawren-2015.