People v. Kotecki

666 N.E.2d 37, 279 Ill. App. 3d 1006, 216 Ill. Dec. 869, 1996 Ill. App. LEXIS 373
CourtAppellate Court of Illinois
DecidedMay 23, 1996
Docket2—95—0426, 2—95—0427 cons.
StatusPublished
Cited by14 cases

This text of 666 N.E.2d 37 (People v. Kotecki) 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. Kotecki, 666 N.E.2d 37, 279 Ill. App. 3d 1006, 216 Ill. Dec. 869, 1996 Ill. App. LEXIS 373 (Ill. Ct. App. 1996).

Opinion

JUSTICE BOWMAN

delivered the opinion of the court:

In these consolidated appeals, defendant, Kevin Kotecki, appeals his conviction of driving under the influence of alcohol (DUI) (625 ILCS 5/11 — 501(a)(1) (West 1994)) and the revocation of his supervision for an earlier DUI conviction prosecuted by the City of Naperville. We affirm.

On May 30, 1994, defendant was involved in a car accident in Naperville, Illinois. Following the accident, defendant was transported to Edward Hospital for medical treatment. Based on a result of "153” on a blood-alcohol concentration (BAG) test taken at the hospital, the State charged defendant with DUI, and the City of Naperville filed a petition to revoke defendant’s supervision for an earlier DUI prosecuted by Naperville.

At trial, Todd Lawford testified that, on May 30, 1994, he was travelling westbound on Ogden Avenue when he observed a white Ford Mustang pass a stop sign without stopping. Lawford testified that the Mustang was travelling at a high rate of speed. The Mustang struck a maroon Ford Taurus station wagon. Lawford identified defendant as the driver of the Mustang, but stated that he would not be able to identify defendant outside the courtroom setting.

Steven Wilkins testified that, on May 30, 1994, he was travelling eastbound on Ogden Avenue and that his brother, Paul Wilkins, was travelling behind him. Steven Wilkins testified that, through his rearview mirror, he observed two cars collide, that defendant was the driver of one of the cars, and that Paul Wilkins was the driver of the other car.

Paul Wilkins testified that, on May 30, 1994, he was travelling eastbound on Ogden Avenue about two car lengths behind his brother, Steven Wilkins. Paul Wilkins stated that his vehicle was hit in the front right corner by defendant’s vehicle.

Officer John Gaw of the Lisle police department testified that, on May 30, 1994, he arrived at the scene of the accident and observed two vehicles, a white Mustang and a maroon Ford Taurus station wagon. Officer Gaw further testified that there was foam around defendant’s mouth and that he smelled a strong odor of alcohol on his breath. Officer Gaw testified that defendant was extricated from the vehicle and taken to the Edward Hospital emergency room. Officer Gaw stated that he did not ask the hospital staff to perform a BAG test on defendant.

Dr. Louis Montana testified that, on May 30, 1994, he was the trauma surgeon on call at Edward Hospital. Dr. Montana testified that he did not think he had ordered any specific tests and that he did not know whether any of the other emergency room physicians had ordered any specific tests. Dr. Montana testified that the figure "153” on the BAG test result did not change his diagnosis or his plan for emergency treatment.

Audrey Carey testified that she is the keeper of records at Edward Hospital. The parties stipulated that Carey’s function is to keep, establish, and maintain hospital records. Carey testified that she recognized the State’s exhibit "ID” as a lab sheet from Edward Hospital. Carey testified that the blood-alcohol result on the lab report was "153” and that this figure describes the amount of alcohol in the blood.

On August 1, 1994, defendant filed a motion in limine to prevent the State from introducing the results of his BAG test. The trial court denied defendant’s motion and admitted the results pursuant to the version of section 11 — 501.4 of the Illinois Vehicle Code (625 ILCS 5/11 — 501.4 (West 1994)) in effect at the time of the trial.

After a bench trial, the trial court found defendant guilty of DUI. In support of this finding, the trial court stated that the gross number "153” appearing on defendant’s BAG test result was the equivalent of "0.153” for the purpose of section 11 — 501(a)(1) of the Illinois Vehicle Code (625 ILCS 5/11 — 501(a)(1) (West 1994)).

For the purposes of the revocation proceeding, defendant stipulated to the same facts relating to the May 30, 1994, arrest. The trial court then revoked defendant’s supervision for the previous DUI prosecuted by the City of Naperville. Defendant filed a timely notice of appeal.

On appeal, defendant contends: (1) the application of the amended statute, which allowed into evidence the results of defendant’s BAG test, violates the ex post facto clauses of the United States and Illinois Constitutions (U.S. Const., art. I, § 10; Ill. Const. 1970, art. I, § 16); and (2) the trial court erred in determining the meaning of defendant’s BAG test result.

Defendant’s first contention on appeal is that the application of the amended version of section 11 — 501.4 of the Illinois Vehicle Code constituted the use of an ex post facto law. We disagree..

Section 11 — 501.4 now provides that a BAG test result is admissible in a DUI prosecution if ordered in the regular course of providing emergency medical treatment. 625 ILCS 5/11 — 501.4 (West 1994). This version of the statute was in effect at the time of defendant’s trial. In contrast, under the statute in effect at the time of the accident, the test result would have been admissible only if it was ordered by a physician on duty at the hospital emergency room and was received and considered by the physician in order to assist him in diagnosis or treatment. 625 ILCS 5/11 — 501.4 (West 1992).

In the present case, defendant’s BAG test was neither ordered by a physician on duty at the hospital emergency room nor received and considered by a physician in diagnosis or treatment. However, it was ordered in the regular course of providing emergency medical treatment. Therefore, the test was inadmissible under the version of the statute in effect at the time of the accident, but admissible under the version in effect at the time of the trial. Accordingly, we must determine which version of the statute was applicable at defendant’s trial.

Article I, section 10, of the United States Constitution provides in relevant part that "[n]o State shall *** pass any *** ex post facto Law.” U.S. Const., art. I, § 10. A law is ex post facto if it is both retroactive and disadvantageous to the defendant. People v. Franklin, 135 Ill. 2d 78, 107 (1990).

A law is retroactive if it applies to events which occurred before the law was enacted. Tiller v. Klincar, 138 Ill. 2d 1, 7 (1990). In the present case, the amendment was applied to admit the BAG test performed before the statute was amended. Therefore, the amendment was applied retroactively to defendant.

A law is disadvantageous to the defendant if it: (1) criminalizes an act that was innocent when done; (2) increases the punishment for a previously committed offense; or (3) alters the rules of evidence to make conviction easier. Franklin, 135 Ill. 2d at 107.

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Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
666 N.E.2d 37, 279 Ill. App. 3d 1006, 216 Ill. Dec. 869, 1996 Ill. App. LEXIS 373, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/people-v-kotecki-illappct-1996.