People v. Graziano

502 N.E.2d 822, 151 Ill. App. 3d 475, 104 Ill. Dec. 325, 1986 Ill. App. LEXIS 3338
CourtAppellate Court of Illinois
DecidedDecember 31, 1986
Docket2-85-0851
StatusPublished
Cited by13 cases

This text of 502 N.E.2d 822 (People v. Graziano) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Appellate Court of Illinois primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
People v. Graziano, 502 N.E.2d 822, 151 Ill. App. 3d 475, 104 Ill. Dec. 325, 1986 Ill. App. LEXIS 3338 (Ill. Ct. App. 1986).

Opinion

PRESIDING JUSTICE NASH

delivered the opinion of the court:

The defendant, Michael Graziano, appeals from a finding of probable cause by the circuit court of Du Page County at an implied-consent hearing. He contends that: (1) the trial court erred in finding probable cause; (2) he had a statutory right to consult with an attorney prior to deciding whether to take a breathalyzer examination; and (3) the officer’s failure to allow defendant to take the examination after his initial refusal constituted a denial of equal protection.

On February 2, 1985, Officer John Barnacle of the Willowbrook police department observed defendant driving on 75th Street when defendant crossed onto the median strip to proceed into the left turn lane. Defendant waited for the traffic signal to turn green and then made a left turn onto Clarendon Hills Road, but did not use his left turn signal. When Officer Barnacle stopped the vehicle, he smelled a strong odor of alcohol on defendant’s breath and noted that he had bloodshot eyes. The officer asked defendant if he had been drinking and he replied, “Not much.” Defendant leaned on his vehicle while exiting and, at the officer’s request, recited the alphabet. Officer Barnacle testified he could not understand the defendant after the letter “p.” The defendant then walked a straight line for 10 steps, but swayed and staggered and had to stop twice to regain his balance. In performing the finger-to-nose test, defendant touched his nose but was unable to touch the tip of his nose with either hand.

Defendant was placed under arrest and transported to the Willowbrook police station, where he was given the implied-consent warnings pursuant to section 11 — 501.1(c) of the Illinois Vehicle Code (Ill. Rev. Stat. 1983, ch. 951/2, par. 11 — 501.1(c)). When requested by the officer, defendant refused to submit to a breathalyzer examination until he had an opportunity to consult with his attorney. Defendant did then telephone his attorney and after conversing with him, told Officer Barnacle that he would take the breathalyzer test. The officer advised defendant he had waived his right to take the test when he refused the first request.

After a bench trial, the court found defendant guilty of the offenses of improper lane usage (Ill. Rev. Stat. 1983, ch. 951/2, par. 11 — 709(a)) and failure to signal (Ill. Rev. Stat. 1983, ch. 951/2, par. 11 — 804(b)), but found him not guilty of the offense of driving under the influence of alcohol (Ill. Rev. Stat. 1983, ch. 95x/2, par. 11 — 501(aX2)). At an implied-consent hearing held on August 8, 1985, the trial court found that the arresting officer had reasonable grounds to believe defendant was driving a motor vehicle under the influence of alcohol and to require him to submit to a breathalyzer examination. The court also found that defendant’s demand to consult with an attorney before submitting to the test constituted a refusal which could not be cured by his subsequent consent. Defendant appeals.

Defendant first contends the evidence was insufficient to support the trial court’s finding that the arresting officer had reasonable grounds to arrest defendant for driving under the influence of alcohol and requiring him to submit to a breathalyzer examination.

“Reasonable grounds” and “probable cause” are synonymous for purposes of arrest (People v. Mitchell (1984), 123 Ill. App. 3d 868, 872, 463 N.E.2d 864, appeal denied (1984), 101 Ill. 2d 573; People v. Bafia (1983), 112 Ill. App. 3d 710, 716, 445 N.E.2d 878), and are present where the facts and circumstances known to the arresting officer are sufficient to lead a reasonable man to believe a crime has been committed and that it was committed by the defendant. (People v. Neal (1985), 111 Ill. 2d 180, 193, 489 N.E.2d 845, cert. denied (1986), 476 U.S. 1165, 90 L. Ed. 2d 733, 106 S. Ct. 2292; People v. Tisler (1984), 103 Ill. 2d 226, 237, 469 N.E.2d 147; People v. Lazzara (1986), 145 Ill. App. 3d 677, 681, 495 N.E.2d 1144.) This standard requires more than mere suspicion, but does not require the arresting officer to possess evidence sufficient to convict the defendant. (People v. Williams (1985), 137 Ill. App. 3d 736, 742, 484 N.E.2d 1191, appeal denied (1986), 111 Ill. 2d 578; People v. Gutknecht (1984), 121 Ill. App. 3d 839, 842, 460 N.E.2d 60, appeal denied (1984), 101 Ill. 2d 548; People v. Wolsk (1983), 118 Ill. App. 3d 112, 116, 454 N.E.2d 695, appeal denied (1983), 96 Ill. 2d 565.) In determining whether a warrantless arrest meets the probable cause requirement, the court should look at the totality of the circumstances. People v. Moody (1983), 94 Ill. 2d 1, 8, 445 N.E.2d 275; People v. Valentin (1985), 135 Ill. App. 3d 22, 30, 480 N.E.2d 1351.

Here, the evidence at trial disclosed that Officer Barnacle observed defendant illegally cross onto a median strip and turn without signalling. He then stopped the defendant and noted an odor of alcohol on defendant’s breath and that defendant’s eyes were bloodshot. Defendant told the officer he had been drinking and leaned on his car while exiting the vehicle. Officer Barnacle also testified that defendant staggered and was forced to regain his balance during the walking test, that he was unable to touch the tip of his nose in the finger-to-nose test, and that he could not understand defendant after he recited the letter “p” in the alphabet test. Defendant disputed this testimony in trial and argued that the extremely cold weather was the cause of his failure to satisfy the demands of the various tests. However, we find the evidence was sufficient such that a reasonable man would have believed defendant was intoxicated and conclude that the trial court did not err in finding that the officer had probable cause to arrest defendant and request that he submit to a breathalyzer examination.

Defendant next contends he had a statutory right to consult with his attorney before deciding whether to submit to the breath test and requests that this court reconsider its contrary holding in Village of Cary v. Jakubek (1984), 121 Ill. App. 3d 341, 459 N.E.2d 651. In that case, it was determined that where an arrestee conditions or qualifies his refusal to take a breathalyzer test upon prior consultation with an attorney, he has effectively refused to take the test under the implied-consent statute (Ill. Rev. Stat. 1981, ch. 951k, par. 11 — 501.1(aX3)). Village of Cary v. Jakubek (1984), 121 Ill. App. 3d 341, 344.

Defendant bases his request for consideration on the fact that the decision in Jakubek did not take into account the effect of section 103— 4 of the Code of Criminal Procedure of 1963 on the implied-consent statute.

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Bluebook (online)
502 N.E.2d 822, 151 Ill. App. 3d 475, 104 Ill. Dec. 325, 1986 Ill. App. LEXIS 3338, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/people-v-graziano-illappct-1986.