Mueller v. Commonwealth, Department of Transportation, Bureau of Driver Licensing

657 A.2d 90, 1995 Pa. Commw. LEXIS 154, 1995 WL 135084
CourtCommonwealth Court of Pennsylvania
DecidedMarch 29, 1995
DocketNo. 1539 C.D. 1993
StatusPublished
Cited by22 cases

This text of 657 A.2d 90 (Mueller v. Commonwealth, Department of Transportation, Bureau of Driver Licensing) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Commonwealth Court of Pennsylvania primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Mueller v. Commonwealth, Department of Transportation, Bureau of Driver Licensing, 657 A.2d 90, 1995 Pa. Commw. LEXIS 154, 1995 WL 135084 (Pa. Ct. App. 1995).

Opinions

McGINLEY, Judge.

The Department of Transportation, Bureau of Driver Licensing (DOT) appeals from an order of the Court of Common Pleas of Allegheny County (trial court) that sustained the appeal of Eberhard Manfred Mueller (Mueller) from a one-year suspension of his operating privileges for refusing to submit to chemical testing pursuant to Section 1547(b) of the Vehicle Code (Code), 75 Pa.C.S. § 1547(b).1

On October 30, 1992, Pittsburgh Police Officer Joseph W. Abel (Officer Abel) responded to an accident in the 1100 block of Liberty Avenue, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Officer Abel arrived at the scene and found Mueller behind the wheel of his 1992 Chevrolet pickup truck after Mueller had backed into a vehicle while stopped at a traffic light. Officer Abel requested identification and noticed that Mueller’s breath smelled of alcohol and that his speech was slurred. Mueller had to be assisted from his vehicle and was unsteady on his feet. Officer Abel did not request Mueller to perform any field sobriety tests because of his condition. Mueller was arrested and transported for the administration of a breathalyzer test.

At the police station, Police Officer James Anzelone (Officer Anzelone) requested Mueller to submit to a breathalyzer test and explained that pursuant to the implied consent law his license would be suspended for one year if he refused. Mueller agreed to submit to the test. Mueller did not supply an adequate amount of breath on his first and second attempt on the breathalyzer machine. Officer Anzelone determined that Mueller’s failure constituted a refusal. By official notice dated December 7, 1992, DOT [92]*92notified Mueller that his operating privileges were suspended for one year pursuant to Section 1547(b) of the Code for refusing to submit to chemical testing.

Mueller appealed his suspension to the trial court. At a de novo hearing Mueller testified that he complied with the request to submit to the test and that his breath sample was all he was physically capable of providing. Officer Anzelone testified that Mueller did not make “a proper effort” to blow into the machine and that Mueller did not inform him of any medical problems before taking the test. Notes of Testimony, May 26, 1993, (N.T.) at 11, 13. The trial court sustained Mueller’s appeal, concluding that “in spite of the fact that a usable sample was not provided by the defendant ... the defendant made several good-faith efforts to comply with the officer’s requests.” Opinion of the Trial Court, July 28, 1993, at 2.

On appeal DOT contends that the issue of whether a licensee refuses to submit to a breathalyzer test is a question of law based upon the facts found by the trial court and that a licensee’s “good faith” attempt is not a valid defense for failure to provide sufficient air samples. Our scope of review in a driver’s license suspension case is limited to determining whether the trial court abused its discretion or committed an error of law and whether the court’s findings are supported by competent evidence. Wheatley v. Department of Transportation, 136 Pa.Commonwealth Ct. 171, 521 A.2d 507 (1987). In cases involving the suspension of a driver’s license for refusal to submit to chemical testing, DOT must prove: 1) that the licensee was placed under arrest for driving under the influence; 2) that he was requested to submit to chemical testing; 3) that he was informed that a refusal to submit to such testing would result in a suspension of his operating privileges; and 4) that the licensee refused to submit to the test. Department of Transportation, Bureau of Driver Licensing v. Pestock, 186 Pa.Commonwealth Ct. 694, 584 A.2d 1075 (1990).

Initially, DOT contends that the refusal to submit to chemical testing is a mixed question of fact and law. The trial court initially finds the facts surrounding the licensee’s response to a request to submit to chemical testing and the facts surrounding the performance of the test. The issue of whether there was a refusal is a question of law and reviewable by this Court. We agree.

In Department of Transportation, Bureau of Driver Licensing v. Bender, 107 Pa.Commonwealth Ct. 475, 529 A.2d 44 (1987), reversed on other grounds, 522 Pa. 104, 560 A.2d 123 (1989)2 this Court noted the difference between a “finding of fact” and a “conclusion of law.” We stated:

A ‘finding of fact,’ such as lies within the sole prerogative of the fact-finder, properly pertains to the actual events or conduct that occurred during the time period in question. A ‘finding of fact,’ therefore, is a determination by the finder or trier of fact that certain things do exist or that certain events or conduct actually occurred. By contrast, a ‘conclusion of law1 is the appli[93]*93cation of the facts established by the fact-finder, here the common pleas court, and applying them to the applicable law. Therefore, the question whether a motorist’s conduct as found by the common pleas court constitutes an unqualified, unequivocal assent to take a breathalyzer test is a question of law properly reviewable by an appellate court, (emphasis added).

Id. at 479, 529 A.2d at 46.

In Department of Transportation, Bureau of Driver Licensing v. Kilrain, 140 Pa.Commonwealth Ct. 484, 593 A.2d 932, appeal denied, 529 Pa. 625, 600 A.2d 541 (1991) this Court, en banc, reaffirmed our decision in Fitzgerald v. Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, 137 Pa.Commonwealth Ct. 359, 586 A.2d 483 (1991) and again noted that whether a licensee’s conduct after a request to submit to chemical testing constituted a refusal was a question of law. Joseph Kilrain (Kilrain) was observed operating his vehicle in a haphazard manner by a Haverford Township Police Officer. Kilrain was arrested and transported to the police station for the administration of a breathalyzer test. Kilrain agreed to take the test and supplied one adequate sample of breath. However, on five subsequent attempts he was unable to provide a sufficient breath sample to complete the test. The police reported a refusal and DOT suspended Kilrain’s operating privilege for one year. The trial court reversed the suspension, concluding that “DOT did not meet its burden of proving that Licensee had refused to submit to a breathalyzer test.” Id., 140 Pa.Commonwealth Ct. at 487, 593 A.2d at 933.

On appeal this Court reversed and stated: In Department of Transportation v. Berta, 120 Pa.Commonwealth Ct. 558, 549 A.2d 262 (1988), ... [t]his court held that, as a matter of law, a good faith attempt to supply sufficient breath to complete a breathalyzer test is insufficient to excuse a licensee’s failure to complete the test.
The bedrock principal in Berta and Jones [Department of Transportation, Bureau of Traffic Safety v. Jones, 38 Pa.Commonwealth Ct. 400, 395 A.2d 592

Free access — add to your briefcase to read the full text and ask questions with AI

Related

S.A. Cornish v. Bureau of Driver Licensing
Commonwealth Court of Pennsylvania, 2024
Opulent Watches v. Warner, J.
Superior Court of Pennsylvania, 2024
F.N. DiMeo, III v. Bureau of Driver Licensing
Commonwealth Court of Pennsylvania, 2023
D. Fullam v. Bureau of Driver Licensing
Commonwealth Court of Pennsylvania, 2021
J. Fernandez-Solano v. Bureau of Driver Licensing
Commonwealth Court of Pennsylvania, 2020
J.K. Rickards v. Bureau of Driver Licensing
Commonwealth Court of Pennsylvania, 2020
N. Jessen v. Bureau of Driver Licensing
Commonwealth Court of Pennsylvania, 2019
M. Mushinsky v. PennDOT, Bureau of Driver Licensing
Commonwealth Court of Pennsylvania, 2017
Bomba v. Commonwealth, Department of Transportation, Bureau of Driver Licensing
28 A.3d 946 (Commonwealth Court of Pennsylvania, 2011)
Riley v. Commonwealth, Department of Transportation
946 A.2d 1115 (Commonwealth Court of Pennsylvania, 2008)
Sweeney v. Commonwealth, Department of Transportation, Bureau of Driver Licensing
804 A.2d 685 (Commonwealth Court of Pennsylvania, 2002)
Brown v. Commonwealth, Department of Transportation, Bureau of Driver Licensing
738 A.2d 71 (Commonwealth Court of Pennsylvania, 1999)
Todd v. COM., DEPT. OF TRANSP.
723 A.2d 655 (Supreme Court of Pennsylvania, 1999)
Finney v. COM., DEPT. OF TRANSP.
721 A.2d 420 (Commonwealth Court of Pennsylvania, 1998)
McDonald v. Commonwealth, Department of Transportation, Bureau of Driver Licensing
708 A.2d 154 (Commonwealth Court of Pennsylvania, 1998)
Borbon v. Motor Vehicle Administration
691 A.2d 1328 (Court of Appeals of Maryland, 1997)
City of Philadelphia v. Delaware County Board of Assessment Appeals
691 A.2d 992 (Commonwealth Court of Pennsylvania, 1997)
Hoffman v. Commonwealth, Department of Transportation, Bureau of Driver Licensing
687 A.2d 395 (Commonwealth Court of Pennsylvania, 1996)
Pappas v. Commonwealth, Department of Transportation
669 A.2d 504 (Commonwealth Court of Pennsylvania, 1996)

Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
657 A.2d 90, 1995 Pa. Commw. LEXIS 154, 1995 WL 135084, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/mueller-v-commonwealth-department-of-transportation-bureau-of-driver-pacommwct-1995.