Donaldson v. State

904 N.E.2d 294, 2009 Ind. App. LEXIS 673, 2009 WL 997088
CourtIndiana Court of Appeals
DecidedApril 13, 2009
Docket71A03-0811-CR-564
StatusPublished
Cited by16 cases

This text of 904 N.E.2d 294 (Donaldson v. State) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Indiana Court of Appeals primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Donaldson v. State, 904 N.E.2d 294, 2009 Ind. App. LEXIS 673, 2009 WL 997088 (Ind. Ct. App. 2009).

Opinion

OPINION

RILEY, Judge.

STATEMENT OF THE CASE

Appellant-Defendant, Jacob A. Donaldson (Donaldson), appeals his conviction for operating a motor vehicle while privileges are suspended, as a Class A misdemeanor, Ind.Code § 9-80-10-16.

We affirm.

ISSUES

Donaldson raises four issues, which we restate as:

(1) Whether the rebuttable presumption found in Indiana Code section 9-30-10-16(b) unconstitutionally removes the burden of proof from the State;
(2) Whether the trial court abused its discretion by admitting an incomplete driving record;
(8) Whether the trial court erroneously added an element to the crime of operating a vehicle while driving privileges are suspended; and
(4) Whether the State presented sufficient evidence to prove beyond a reasonable doubt that Donaldson knew his driving privileges were suspended.

FACTS AND PROCEDURAL HISTORY

On July 26, 2007, Donaldson was sent a "Notice of Suspension" from the Bureau of Motor Vehicles (BMV), informing him that *297 his driving privileges were suspended due to his conviction for operating while intoxicated. (Appellant's App. p. 21). However, his suspension was to end as of July 22, 2007, and, therefore, had terminated prior to the BMV sending the notice.

On September 3, 2007, Donaldson was sent a "Notice of Suspension," informing him that his license was being suspended as a result of his failure to provide proof of vehicle insurance on April 6, 2007. (Appellant's App. p. 42). This "Notice of Suspension" stated that his privileges were suspended as of September 3, 2007, for a period of 90 days.

On September 8, 2007, Donaldson was sent a "Habitual Traffic Violator Notice of Suspension," which stated that his driving privileges would be suspended effective October 15, 2007, and would remain suspended until October 18, 2012. (Appellant's App. p. 20). This notice listed ten of Donaldson's "qualifying traffic offenses" which had occurred between 1997 and 2005, and stated that Donaldson had additional qualifying offenses.

On September 22, 2007, Donaldson was sent a "Notice of Reinstatement," which stated that, due to a "recent update to [his] record," his driving privileges were reinstated on September 21, 2007. (Appellant's App. p. 39). The "Notice of Reinstatement" did not refer to any of Donaldson's suspensions specifically.

On November 3, 2007, Donaldson received another "Notice of Suspension." (Appellant's App. p. 41). This notice informed Donaldson that his driving privileges were suspended because of his offense of possession of a controlled substance. The notice also informed him that, "[flor this offense you will be eligible for reinstatement on 1/14/2008." (Appellant's App. p. 41).

On March 12, 2008, an Indiana State Police trooper clocked Donaldson driving a car traveling eighty-three miles per hour in a zone where the maximum speed limit is sixty-five miles per hour. Another trooper stopped Donaldson, determined that he was an habitual traffic violator whose privileges had been suspended for five years, and arrested him. On March 13, 2008, the State filed an Information charging Donaldson with operating a motor vehicle while suspended as an habitual violator, a Class D felony, I.C. § 9-30-10-16.

On August 28, 2008, the trial court held a bench trial. During the trial, the State offered for admission a certified copy of the "HTV Packet" as State's Exhibit 1. (Tr. p. 107). Donaldson objected to the admission of State's Exhibit 1 because it was not a complete driving record. However, the trial court admitted State's Exhibit 1 because that was the document requested by the State from the BMV, and the BMV had certified the document "as requested." (Tr. p. 110; Appellant's App. pp. 14-15). Also during the trial, the trial court expressed its concerns to a witness representing the BMV about the confusion that could be caused by the generic "Notice of Reinstatement" sent subsequent to the "Habitual Traffic Violator Notice of Suspension." (Tr. p. 121).

During closing arguments, Donaldson argued that the confusion caused by the "Notice of Reinstatement" was sufficient to rebut the presumption that he knew his driving privileges had been suspended. The trial court concluded that a reasonable person would have contacted the BMV to figure out the status of his driving privileges, and paraphrased the "Habitual Traffic Violator Notice of Suspension" where it states "if you think something [is] wrong here, you got to get to us [the BMV] and correct it." (Tr. p. 162). The trial court *298 noted that there was no evidence that Donaldson had contacted the BMV regarding the status of his driving privileges, and, therefore, concluded that he had not rebutted the presumption of knowledge of suspension caused by the BMV mailing the notice of suspension to Donaldson's last known address. The trial court announced that it was finding Donaldson guilty of operating a motor vehicle while his driving privileges were suspended as an habitual traffic violator, as a Class D felony.

On October 14, 2008, the trial court held a sentencing hearing. At the sentencing hearing, the trial court reduced Donaldson's conviction to a Class A misdemeanor. The trial court sentenced Donaldson to one year, suspended to probation, and ordered that Donaldson's driving privileges be suspended for an additional two years, to begin when his current suspension of five years terminated.

Donaldson now appeals. Additional facts will be provided as necessary.

DISCUSSION AND DECISION

I. Constitutionality of I.C. § 9-80-10-16

Donaldson argues that Indiana Code section 9-30-10-16(b) is unconstitutional because it mandates a presumption of knowledge of suspension if the State demonstrates that the BMV mailed notice of the suspension to the defendant's last known address. The State contends that Donaldson has waived this argument by not raising it before the trial court.

Addressing the State's contention of waiver first, Donaldson did not file a motion to dismiss or present any argument to the trial court regarding the constitutionality of I.C. § 9-30-10-16. "Generally, a challenge to the constitutionality of a criminal statute must be raised by a motion to dismiss prior to trial, and the failure to do so waives the issue on appeal." Johnson v. State, 879 N.E.2d 649, 654 (Ind.Ct.App.2008). Donaldson presents no reason why such waiver would not apply here; therefore, we conclude that he has waived this contention for review.

Waiver notwithstanding, we will address Donaldson's contention of unconstitutionality. First, we note that, when a defendant challenges the constitutionality of a criminal statute, we presume the statute is constitutional. Baumgartner v. State, 891 N.E.2d 1131, 1136 (Ind.Ct.App.2008).

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Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
904 N.E.2d 294, 2009 Ind. App. LEXIS 673, 2009 WL 997088, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/donaldson-v-state-indctapp-2009.