People v. Thomas

558 N.E.2d 656, 200 Ill. App. 3d 268, 146 Ill. Dec. 693, 1990 Ill. App. LEXIS 1091
Appellate Court of Illinois·Decided July 26, 1990·No. 2-89-0857·Published·Cited by 24 cases

Opinion

JUSTICE DUNN

delivered the opinion of the court:

Defendant, Robert Thomas, was charged with driving under the influence of alcohol (Ill. Rev. Stat. 1987, ch. 95½, par. 11—501(a)(2)), driving with an alcohol concentration of .10 or more (Ill. Rev. Stat. 1987, ch. 95½, par. 11—501(a)(1)), improper lane usage (Ill. Rev. Stat. 1987, ch. 95½, par. 11—709), and battery. A jury acquitted defendant of battery but convicted him of the three counts under the Illinois Vehicle Code. The trial judge entered convictions of driving under the influence of alcohol and improper lane usage and sentenced defendant to one year of probation, a fine of $750 plus costs, and counseling.

On appeal, defendant raises the following questions: (1) whether he was prejudiced by improper prosecutorial comments during closing argument; (2) whether the arresting officer had a reasonable suspicion to stop his car; (3) whether the trial court erred in admitting the result of his breathalyzer test where he initially refused and later volunteered to take the test; (4) whether proper foundation was introduced to admit the results of the breath test; and (5) whether the court erred in allowing evidence of his initial refusal to take the breathalyzer test and whether his fifth and sixth amendment rights were violated. For the reasons stated below, we affirm.

Initially, we note that the State correctly charges defendant with a gross violation of Supreme Court Rule 341(e)(6) (113 Ill. 2d R. 341(e)(6)). Defendant’s statement of facts is an extremely argumentative, slanted statement that is of no assistance to those who must review his case. We hope that in the future this court will not see such blatant disregard for the rules from counsel.

From our review of the record, we summarize the evidence at trial as follows.

Police officer John Barnacle, a police officer for 5V2 years, testified as follows. On February 25, 1988, at 1:35 a.m., he was traveling south on Route 83 when he observed a black Cadillac 100 feet ahead, traveling in the left inside lane. The car went halfway into a left turn lane without signaling and then merged back to the inside lane. The car went about 15 feet into the turn lane for one to two seconds. It then twice merged halfway into the outside lane of traffic. Barnacle activated his lights, and the Cadillac stopped in the left lane. Then, it made a 90-degree turn, crossing over the outside lane, and turned into a gas station where it stopped. The temperature at the time was in the 30’s, and it was a clear night.

Defendant got out of the car and met Barnacle in the parking lot. Defendant had slurred speech and a strong odor of alcoholic beverage from two feet away. He was unsteady on his feet. When Barnacle asked him if he knew the time and day, defendant responded that it was around midnight Friday. It was actually 1:35 a.m. Thursday morning. Barnacle then requested defendant to perform field sobriety tests. First, Barnacle instructed defendant to place his feet together, heel to toe, while he listened to the instructions. Defendant repeatedly took his foot away during the instructions. Defendant then began the walking heel-to-toe test before Barnacle instructed him to begin, even though Barnacle told him not to begin until he was instructed. Barnacle told defendant to take nine steps, heel to toe, along a crack in the pavement. Defendant took nine steps but failed to walk heel to toe. He took normal steps, and he swayed when he walked. Defendant repeated the test at his own request and failed it in the same manner. Defendant also failed to complete the one-leg stand test. Defendant could not stand on one leg and count to 30. Barnacle placed defendant under arrest for driving under the influence of alcohol. Defendant was handcuffed because he pulled away from Barnacle after being told he was under arrest. Defendant swore at Barnacle and the other officer at the scene.

At the police station, Barnacle asked whether defendant would take a breathalyzer test. Defendant stated he wanted to talk to his attorney before he took the test. Barnacle told him he did not have a right to an attorney, and, if he would not take the test before talking to his attorney, it would be considered a refusal. Defendant was allowed a phone call. As Barnacle stood near defendant on the phone, defendant struck him in the chest. After defendant’s brother, an attorney, arrived at the police station and consulted with defendant, defendant stated he wanted to take the breathalyzer test. Barnacle allowed defendant to take the test.

Barnacle observed defendant for 20 minutes before he took the test. In administering the test, Barnacle followed the operational checklist approved by the Department of Public Health (Department) for the Intoxilyzer 5000, a machine he stated was approved by the Department. The readout from the test stated that defendant had a blood-alcohol concentration of .19.

Barnacle took a 40-hour class for training on use of the Intoxilyzer 5000. The class curriculum was approved by the Department. After completion of this class, he was certified to use the Intoxilyzer 5000 and has been recertified every year since. The machine used to test defendant was inspected and certified February 5, 1988, and March 11, 1988, by a representative from the Department. The Department required inspection within 45 days of consecutive months. On cross-examination, Barnacle stated he was not qualified to answer questions about the inner workings of the machine.

Patrick Curtis testified for defendant as follows. He was employed at the gas station where defendant and the officer were parked on February 25, 1988. The temperature that night was 32 degrees below zero with the wind chill. Defendant and the officer were 20 feet from the office where he was standing. He saw defendant stand on one leg for 10 to 15 seconds and then put it down and raise the other leg and stand on it for the same amount of time. Then he saw defendant perform the “arm test.” There was no testimony from anyone else about an arm test. He also saw defendant walk heel-to-toe for four to five feet. Defendant did not stagger or stumble. Defendant and his brother returned to the station at 3:30 a.m. and asked him if he had seen defendant’s wallet. He did not notice an odor of alcohol on defendant. At this time, he witnessed defendant’s driving for 10 minutes as defendant drove his car from the parking lot onto the road. In his opinion, defendant was not under the influence of alcohol. On cross-examination, he testified that that there were two gas islands between the road and the gas station office where he said he was standing 20 feet from the defendant and the officer.

John Bederka testified as an expert on the Intoxilyzer 5000 machine. He holds a master of science degree in organic chemistry and a doctor’s degree in pharmacology. Back in 1968 he worked with infrared technology, which he explained was behind the workings of the Intoxilyzer 5000. He found the Intoxilyzer 5000 to be a crude instrument for measuring the percentage of alcohol in a person’s bloodstream because the machine was set for the average person, but not everyone fell within the average setting of the instrument. He explained that the ratio of air to alcohol in the lungs differed for different people and that this ratio did not necessarily correspond to the person’s blood level of alcohol.

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People v. Thomas, 558 N.E.2d 656, 200 Ill. App. 3d 268, 146 Ill. Dec. 693, 1990 Ill. App. LEXIS 1091 (Ill. Ct. App. 1990).

558 N.E.2d 656 (People v. Thomas) — published by Counsel Stack Legal Research, free access to 12M+ legal documents.

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