People v. Dyke

224 Cal. App. 3d 648, 274 Cal. Rptr. 66, 1990 Cal. App. LEXIS 1074
CourtCalifornia Court of Appeal
DecidedOctober 9, 1990
DocketF011935
StatusPublished
Cited by3 cases

This text of 224 Cal. App. 3d 648 (People v. Dyke) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering California Court of Appeal primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
People v. Dyke, 224 Cal. App. 3d 648, 274 Cal. Rptr. 66, 1990 Cal. App. LEXIS 1074 (Cal. Ct. App. 1990).

Opinion

Opinion

BAXTER, J.

Introduction

Appellants Donald Ray Dyke (prosecuted in superior court under an alias of John Michael Fitzpatrick) and Richard Lee Garland were arrested for drug offenses on November 13, 1988, in room 116 at the Economy Inn in Bakersfield where contraband was seized as police officers were attempting to execute a felony arrest warrant on burglary suspect Kenneth DeBenedict. Additional contraband was later seized at appellants’ residences, which were searched by authority of warrants. Appellants’ motions to suppress (Pen. Code, § 1538.5) 1 were denied by the superior court “as to everything except the duffel bag and the Crown Royal Bag[,] which are granted.”

Garland pled guilty to the following charges contained in an amended information filed February 7, 1989: count 1, possession for sale of *653 methamphetamine (Health & Saf. Code, § 11378); count 2, possession of methamphetamine (Health & Saf. Code, § 11377, subd. (a)); count 3, possession of base or “rock” cocaine (Health & Saf. Code, § 11350, subd. (a)); count 4, conspiracy to violate Health and Safety Code section 11378, with eight overt acts alleged (§ 182, subd. 1); and count 5, possession of less than 28.5 grams of marijuana, a misdemeanor (Health & Saf. Code, § 11357, subd. (b)). Garland admitted being armed with a firearm (§ 12022, subd. (a)) in the commission of counts 1 through 3 and possessing for sale 28.5 grams or more of a substance containing methamphetamine (§ 1203.073, subd. (b)(2)) in the commission of count 1. Garland was sentenced to state prison for a total term of four years, eight months.

Dyke had a jury trial. He was acquitted on count 1 of possession for sale of methamphetamine (Health & Saf. Code, § 11378) and on count 2 of possession of base or “rock” cocaine (Health & Saf. Code, § 11350, subd. (a)). The jury found Dyke guilty on count 3, conspiracy to possess for sale methamphetamine (§ 182, subd. 1) and found true the eight overt acts alleged. 2 It also found him guilty on count 4, misdemeanor possession of marijuana (Health & Saf. Code, § 11357, subd. (b)).

Dyke, an escapee from an Oklahoma state prison, was sentenced to state prison for a total term of three years, to “be served consecutive to whatever time must be served by this defendant in the Oklahoma proceedings.”

Both appellants claim on appeal that the superior court erred in not suppressing all of the contraband. Additionally, Dyke claims (1) the conspiracy guilty verdict (count 3) must be set aside because it is inconsistent with the not guilty verdict on count 1, and (2) the court violated California Rules of Court, rule 451(b) by failing to order his consecutive term to commence upon completion of the Oklahoma sentence.

*654 Facts

Police officers gave Adeline Marie Griffin, the motel manager of the Economy Inn in Bakersfield, a photograph of a fugitive burglary suspect named Kenneth DeBenedict. There was an outstanding felony warrant for his arrest. They requested her assistance in the event he was observed at the motel. A few days later, on November 13, 1988, Garland came into the office, completed the registration form, and rented room 116.

Griffin observed that Garland was accompanied by a “gentleman on [a] motorcycle.” Garland admitted “there might be somebody” staying in the room and paid the rate for double occupancy. Griffin watched Garland and the man on a motorcycle enter room 116. Griffin thought the man “on a motorcycle” closely resembled DeBenedict, but she was not positive because he was wearing sunglasses and did not enter the motel’s office. Their conduct appeared “suspicious.”

She telephoned the police and reported her suspicion that DeBenedict had just entered room 116. This information was communicated to other officers (Sgt. Hartshorn and Officers Steven London, Lonnie Mills, and Stephen Horst) who were immediately dispatched to the motel to execute the felony arrest warrant on DeBenedict.

In court, Griffin identified Dyke as the man who resembled DeBenedict.

Officers London and Mills proceeded to room 116, while Sergeant Harts-horn and Officer Horst positioned themselves nearby. They did not check the registration card for room 116 or otherwise attempt to identify its occupants beforehand because, according to Mills, “It was known that DeBenedict very seldom registered under his own name.” Someone inside the room opened the curtains, looked out the window, and promptly closed them. The officers, who were in uniform, knocked on the door and announced they were police officers. They heard commotion and some conversation coming from inside the room. Officer Mills overheard one of the occupants state, “It is the fucking pigs.” After approximately one minute, Dyke partially opened the door.

Officer Mills advised Dyke that they were looking for DeBenedict because he was wanted for burglary on a felony arrest warrant. Dyke said he did not know DeBenedict. Dyke acted nervous and communicated in an uncooperative tone of voice. The officers saw a large caliber handgun “within arm’s reach” of Dyke that appeared to be loaded. It was on a desk dresser inside the motel room. Officer Mills was concerned Dyke “might try to make a move for it.” The officers entered the motel room to secure the *655 weapon “for officer safety.” Mills positioned himself to block Dyke from the handgun while London secured and unloaded it, a Ruger .357 magnum revolver. The officers saw marijuana, a large amount of currency, and .22-caliber bullets in plain view on the bed.

Noticing the bathroom door was closed, Officer Mills asked Dyke if there was anyone else present. He responded, “Yes. A friend of mine is in the bathroom.” Mills asked, “What’s his name?” Dyke said he did not know. After some delay, Garland finally partially opened the door and exited the bathroom at the officers’ request. The officers conducted a cursory patdown search of Garland. Officer London observed a large bulge in a black leather jacket lying on the bed and found a loaded Titan .380-caliber semiautomatic handgun in a pocket.

The officers were aware of DeBenedict’s appearance and observed that neither Dyke nor Garland was DeBenedict, the subject of their felony arrest warrant. Officer London entered the bathroom and looked behind the partially closed bathroom door and closed shower curtain, places where DeBenedict or others might be secreted. He detected a strong chemical odor coming from an open paper bag sitting on the bathroom floor between the toilet and the bathtub. He observed methamphetamine inside the bag, later weighed at 432.70 grams. It also contained rock cocaine and a small amount of marijuana.

Appellants were arrested, removed from the room, and later transported to jail by other officers. Officers London and Mills continued their search for a .22-caliber handgun they suspected was in the motel room. Their suspicion was based on the presence of the . 22-caliber ammunition and its incompatibility with the handguns found. The officers expressed public safety as justification for the search.

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Related

People v. Sanders
101 Cal. Rptr. 2d 456 (California Court of Appeal, 2001)
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59 Cal. App. 4th 988 (California Court of Appeal, 1997)
People v. Bellizzi
34 Cal. App. 4th 1849 (California Court of Appeal, 1995)

Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
224 Cal. App. 3d 648, 274 Cal. Rptr. 66, 1990 Cal. App. LEXIS 1074, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/people-v-dyke-calctapp-1990.