People v. Rodríguez

91 P.R. 513
Supreme Court of Puerto Rico·Decided December 7, 1964·No. No. CR-64-260·Published

Opinion

per CURIAM:

By judgment of September 18, 1964, we held that the evidence believed by the trial court was sufficient to sustain appellant’s conviction, and, consequently, we affirmed the judgment sentencing him to serve 10 days in jail and suspending his driver’s license for one year for operating a motor vehicle under the influence of intoxicating liquor.

A further detailed analysis of the entire evidence convinces us that the same did not establish defendant’s guilt beyond a reasonable doubt. The prosecution evidence consisted of the testimony of policeman Guillermo Ramos and of Modesto Canales.

[514]*514The policeman testified that on June 2, 1963, the police station received word that defendant Luciano Zenón Rodrí-guez had sustained an accident with his automobile. He went to the scene of the occurrence on highway 993, where he found defendant’s automobile in the left-hand side of the road, crashed into a tree; that about 15 minutes later he saw the defendant in the hospital. He further testified:
“Q. What did. he tell you, if he told you anything?
A. Well, he, I questioned him on the accident. Then, when I spoke with him, he smelled strongly of liquor. I then suggested to have a blood sample, taken; he said no. Sometimes he said yes and others he said no. Then I suggested the urine test and he said no. Then I explained to him the consequences, what he would have to do then, and he said it was all right. Then I took him.
Q. Did you ask him about the automobile?
A. I said ... he did not tell me that he had crashed into anything; I only asked him how it happened and he said that he crashed and that he and the other one had been injured.
Q. That he crashed and that he and the other one had been injured?
A. He and Modesto Canales.
Q. Did he say who was driving the vehicle?
A. Well, he told me that he was the one who was driving the vehicle, that the vehicle is his.
Q. Did you see him walking?
A. In the hospital I talked with him, right ?
Q. Was he standing?
A. Yes, sir.
Q. Tell me, did he behave like a normal person at that moment? -
A. Well, I don’t know whether he was normal; in my presence he was normal; only his eyes looked red.
Q. Did he stagger?
A. No, when I arrived he was standing also; I spoke with him what I had to; that’s all.
Q. Then, this statement which you gave here, you gave it before the District Judge of Vieques ?
A. Yes, sir.
[515]*515Q. Tell me, witness, are you sure he did not staggér?
A. Well, he, while I was there, when I arrived he was walking around . . . that is, very nervous. Then I called him and spoke with him.
Q. But did he stagger or not?
Defense: Objection, Your Honor, the witness already said that he did not.
The Court: Proceed.
A. Well, you could see that he was badly hurt, I don’t know whether as a result of the blows.
District Attorney: The question is whether he staggered or not.
A. Yes, sir.
Q. He did stagger?
A. Yes, sir.” (Tr. Ev. 5-6.)

On cross-examination he testified that defendant had a blow and was bleeding. He answered to the defense:

“Defense: The fact is that he was bleeding profusely?
A. Yes, I could see that he was injured and that he was bleeding.”

He further testified that defendant told him that he was driving his own car.

The other witness, Modesto Canales, testified that the day of the occurrence he was together with defendant. Upon questioning by the district attorney he testified as follows:

“Q. Where did you get in the car with him?
A. In front of my house.
Q. In front of your house. Witness, in what condition, if you know, was he when you got in the car?
A. Well, he was all right.
Q. Was he all right?
A. That’s right, he looked all right to me.
Q. And after you got in, did he always look all right?
A. No, on the way back he was not as he used to be; he did not look all right to me.
The Court: On the way back, did you not see him?
District Attorney: He did not look all right to you?
A. He didn’t look as he did at first.
[516]*516Q, And how was he ?
A. Well, on the way back, I said that he was drunk because he was driving quite fast.
Q. He was ?
A. Quite fast and he never speeds, you see?
Q. He never speeds?
A. He never sped like that, and I said ‘ah! he must be drunk.’
Q. Did you give a statement somewhere ?
A. Yes, sir.
Q. Before the District Judge?
A. Before the Judge of Vieques.
Q. Tell me, and did anything happen when you were coming in the car?
A. Well, it crashed.
Q. Into what did it crash ?
A. Into a tree.
Q. Was that tree in the center of the road?
A. To one side.
Q. In the middle of the road or on the edge of the road ?
A. Outside of the road, on the edge.
Q. That’s all with the witness. Who was driving the car when the accident occurred ?
A. He was.
Q. Who is he?
A. Zenón.
Q. That’s all.” (Tr. Ev. 9-11.)

On cross-examination he testified that the accident occurred when defendant applied the brakes and lost control. He further testified:

“Defense: You testified that he had not been drinking?
A. Eh?
Q. Here, upon questioning by the district attorney, you testified that he had not been drinking?

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People v. Rodríguez, 91 P.R. 513 (prsupreme 1964).

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