Penny v. State

1966 OK CR 3, 410 P.2d 553
CourtCourt of Criminal Appeals of Oklahoma
DecidedJanuary 5, 1966
DocketA-13540
StatusPublished
Cited by6 cases

This text of 1966 OK CR 3 (Penny v. State) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Court of Criminal Appeals of Oklahoma primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Penny v. State, 1966 OK CR 3, 410 P.2d 553 (Okla. Ct. App. 1966).

Opinion

BUSSEY, Presiding Judge.

Aud James Penny, hereinafter referred to as defendant, was charged in the Court of Common Pleas in and for Oklahoma County, with the offense of Operating a Motor Vehicle While Under the Influence of Intoxicating Liquor. He was tried by a jury who found him guilty. Judgment and sentence was pronounced in accordance with the verdict of the jury and a timely appeal has been perfected to this Court.

Briefly, the facts as adduced from the record, disclose that between the hour of 7:30 p. m. and 8:00 p. m., an automobile driven by defendant collided with an automobile driven by Mr. Walter Burman Johnson at the intersection of 66th and South Shields in the city of Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. From the point of impact, Penny’s car came to rest upon the property of a Show Home lot. Mr. Johnson testified that after the collision he proceeded to Penny’s automobile; that Penny was still inside and that there was a strong odor of intoxicating liquor inside the car. The witness returned to his automobile and caused the police to be notified. Officer Logan Edward Waldrup, in response to a message from the Police Dispatcher, proceeded to the scene of the accident where, after making an investigation and talking to the defendant, he took the defendant into custody and proceeded to the Oklahoma City Police Department. This witness testified that defendant had a strong odor of intoxicants about his person, that his speech was slurred and that in the witness’ opinion the defendant was drunk.

After being taken to the police station, the State’s witnesses testified that the defendant was advised of his constitutional rights and that thereafter he voluntarily submitted to certain physical tests and to the Breathalyzer Test administered by Officer Coffia. Defendant admitted at the trial that he submitted to the Breathalyzer Test, but thought it was a blood test. He testified that he did not remember having performed certain physical tests, but did not deny that he might have consented to perform them or that he did perform them. Defendant denied that he was intoxicated and stated that he had had two beers early in the afternoon and testified that after he had been turned over to the Oklahoma County authorities by the Oklahoma City Police Department, he discovered injuries to his head and leg. Defendant introduced testimony of witnesses that he was a very moderate drinker and the testimony of Dr. Jobe who treated him subsequent to his release from custody. Dr. Jobe testified that the bruises, cuts and contusions on the temporal region of defendant’s head could have interfered with his ability to perform coordination tests and other tests relating to balance.

There was substantial testimony introduced on behalf of the State which related to the Breathalyzer machine, its operation, reliability, accuracy, and the manner in which Officer Coffia administered the test.

*555 There are numerous assignments of error urged on appeal but for the sake of brevity, we will deal only with those which have some merit.

Defendant’s first assignment of error is that this cause must be reversed and remanded for the reason that the defendant was arrested by Officer Waldrup who was not present when the collision occurred, nor was there any misdemeanor committed in his presence after said officer arrived at the scene. Defendant further argues that the arrest being unlawful, any evidence obtained as a result of the search and seizure thereafter was inadmissible against him. In his brief the defendant states:

“The defendant herein agreed with the decisions of this Honorable Court in many cases in which this Court has held that an Officer may testify to anything which he observes in a place or locale where he has a right to be, and that the County Attorney has the right to decide on what type of charges shall be filed.
The defendant further admits and stipulates that in this particular case, Officer Waldrup had authority to be at the scene of the accident and to make an investigation at the scene. That he would be qualified to testify as to what he observed and what was said by the defendant at the scene. The defendant herein would stipulate to the fact that if the Officer had seen the defendant commit any offense in his presence, that he would have authority to arrest him for that offense and any evidence which he might obtain as a result of that offense would be admissible in the prosecution of this case.”

In support of this proposition the defendant relies upon the case of Shirey v. State, Okl.Cr., 321 P.2d 981.

In the State’s brief in answer to defendant’s first assignment of error, it is pointed out that the defendant entered a plea to the merits, proceeded to trial, did not interpose an objection to the testimony of Officer Waldrup, and raised the question of illegal search and seizure for the first time at the conclusion of all the State’s evidence; notwithstanding the fact that the justification of Officer Waldrup’s arrest and the time of the same was extensively covered during the direct testimony and cross examination of this witness.

In Shirey v. State, supra, relied on by both the defendant and the State, it was abundently clear that no offense was committed in the presence of the officer and that when it became apparent that the State intended to rely upon the arrest, timely objection was interposed by the defendant to the admission of any evidence obtained by a search and seizure in connection with the arrest and an exception taken to the ruling of the court.

We are of the opinion that Shirey v. State, supra, has no application in the instant case since the evidence of which the defendant now complains was not obtained as a result of a search and seizure, but as reflected by the record, was.obtained as a result of the defendant’s voluntary participation in certain physical coordination tests and his submission to the Breathalyzer Test. It is interesting to note that the State’s evidence reflects that the defendant voluntarily submitted to these tests after being fully advised of his constitutional rights and that the defendant does not assert that they were involuntarily participated in as a result of coercion or force, but asserts only that he cannot remember having participated in such tests.

We are of the opinion, and therefore hold, that defendant’s first assignment of error is without merit. This leads us to consideration of defendant’s second assignment of error that the breathalyzer is not a scientific machine developed with sufficient accuracy to be used in the determination of the alcoholic content of a person’s blood in order to determine him intoxicated.

The admissibility of the results of a Breathalyzer Test has not been previously passed upon by this Court; however, in ruling admissible the results of the Hager *556 Drunkometer, in Toms v. State, 95 Okl.Cr. 60, 239 P.2d 812, in the body of the opinion, this Court, speaking through the Honorable John A. Brett had this to say:

“This court is of the opinion, that we should favor the adoption of scientific methods for crime detection, where the demonstrated accuracy and reliability has become established and recognized. Justice is truth in action, and any instrumentality, which aids justice in ascertainment of truth, should be embraced without delay.

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Related

State v. Graham
360 So. 2d 853 (Supreme Court of Louisiana, 1978)
In Interest of Oaks
571 P.2d 1364 (Utah Supreme Court, 1977)
Edwards v. State
1975 OK CR 226 (Court of Criminal Appeals of Oklahoma, 1975)
Johnson v. State
1971 OK CR 266 (Court of Criminal Appeals of Oklahoma, 1971)
Seely v. State
1970 OK CR 63 (Court of Criminal Appeals of Oklahoma, 1970)

Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
1966 OK CR 3, 410 P.2d 553, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/penny-v-state-oklacrimapp-1966.