Perano v. State

300 S.E.2d 668, 250 Ga. 704, 1983 Ga. LEXIS 601
CourtSupreme Court of Georgia
DecidedMarch 1, 1983
Docket39372
StatusPublished
Cited by79 cases

This text of 300 S.E.2d 668 (Perano v. State) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Supreme Court of Georgia primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Perano v. State, 300 S.E.2d 668, 250 Ga. 704, 1983 Ga. LEXIS 601 (Ga. 1983).

Opinions

Gregory, Justice.

The Georgia Court of Appeals certified the following:

“Under Code Ann. § 68A-902.1 (a) (3) [OCGA § 40-6-392 (a) (3)] a motorist who has been requested to undergo a chemical test by a law enforcement officer pursuant to the provisions of Code Ann. § 68B-306 [OCGA § 40-5-55] ‘may have a physician, or a qualified technician, chemist, registered nurse, or other qualified person of his own choosing administer a chemical test or tests in addition to any administered at the direction of a law enforcement officer.’ Under Code Ann. § 68A-902.1 (a) (4) [OCGA § 40-6-392 (a) (4)], ‘[t]he arresting officer at the time of arrest shall advise the person arrested of his rights to a chemical test or tests according to (Code Ann. § 68A-902.1 (a) (3)) [OCGA § 40-6-392 (a) (3)].’

“In Garrett v. Dept. of Public Safety, 237 Ga. 413 (228 SE2d 812) (1976), the defendant-motorist was at no time informed of his right to have an independent test made by someone of his own choosing. On these facts, the Supreme Court, in construing Code Ann. § 68A-902.1 (a) (4) [OCGA § 40-6-392 (a) (4)], held that ‘the legislature used the mandatory language: “The arresting officer at the time of the arrest shall advise the person arrested of his rights ...” This cannot be interpreted to mean sometime in the future. One cannot make an intelligent choice to submit to a chemical test without the knowledge of the right to have an independent test made in order to contest the validity of the state’s test.’ Garrett, 237 Ga. at 415, supra. In so holding, the Supreme Court cited with approval Nelson v. State, 135 Ga. App. 212 (217 SE2d 450) (1975), a case in which there was also a total failure to advise the defendant-motorist of his right to an additional test.

“In two cases subsequent to the Supreme Court’s decision in Garrett but without citation to it, the Court of Appeals held that the ‘mandatory’ directive of Code Ann. § 68A-902.1 (a) (4) [OCGA § 40-6-392 (a) (4)] was satisfied where, subsequent to the actual [705]*705physical arrest itself but prior to the state-administered test, the defendant-motorist had been advised at the police station of his right to an additional test. See Rayburn v. State, 140 Ga. App. 712 (1) (231 SE2d 383) (1976); Huff v. State, 144 Ga. App. 764 (242 SE2d 361) (1978).

“Subsequent to the decisions in Rayburn and in Huff but without citation to them, the Court of Appeals, relying specifically upon Garrett, held that ‘[t]here is no evidence in the case at bar to show that appellant was advised of his right (to an additional test) at the time of his arrest. That being true, appellant’s refusal to submit to a blood-alcohol test was justified and does not present grounds for the revocation of his license under the implied consent law. [Cits.]... We are fully aware of the decisions embracing substantial compliance with certain notice requirements, but here the legislature and the Supreme Court have clearly spoken.’ (Emphasis supplied.) Adams v. Hardison, 153 Ga. App. 152, 153 (264 SE2d 693) (1980). While the opinion in Adams does not reflect it, the record in that case demonstrates that, at the jail and before he refused to undergo the state-administered test, the defendant-motorist had in fact been advised of his rights to an additional test.

“Based upon the foregoing, in a case in which the defendant-motorist has in fact been given notice of his right to an additional test, it is unclear exactly how the proper judicial determination of the sufficiency of compliance with Code Ann. § 68A-902.1 (a) [OCGA § 40-6-392 (a)] should be made. Therefore, the Court of Appeals desires instructions from the Supreme Court upon the following questions, a determination of which is necessary for a decision in this case:

“1. Did the Court of Appeals in Adams, 153 Ga. App. 152, supra, correctly construe Garrett, 237 Ga. 413, supra, to mean that unless the defendant-motorist has been informed of his right to an additional test at the very time and scene of the physical arrest, such failure on the part of the law enforcement officer invalidates the result of any subsequent state-administered test and also justifies the refusal to submit to such a test?

“2. Or, does Garrett, 237 Ga. at 415, supra, implicitly establish a broader ‘intelligent choice’ standard of compliance, correctly effectuated by the Court of Appeals in Rayburn, 140 Ga. App. 712, supra, and in Huff, 144 Ga. App. 764, supra, so that the requirements of Code Ann. § 68A-902.1 (a) (4) are substantially satisfied if, prior to choosing whether to undergo or to refuse the state-administered test, a defendant-motorist is advised of his right to an additional test and his subsequent ‘intelligent choice’ in this regard is binding on him?”

In order to answer these questions it is necessary to examine the [706]*706facts of the case out of which they arose.

The defendant and his wife were stopped by a Columbia County deputy sheriff after the deputy observed a beer bottle fall from the passenger side of the couple’s moving pick-up truck. The deputy testified that he initially intended to issue a citation for littering, but when the defendant stepped from his truck, the deputy detected that the defendant’s speech was “slurred” and his movements were “unstable.” The deputy also smelled alcohol on the defendant. The deputy testified that he informed the defendant he was under arrest for driving under the influence; he then inquired of defendant’s wife whether he could call someone to drive her home as it was apparent she was too intoxicated to drive herself. The deputy testified that at this point the defendant’s wife became verbally abusive and also began hitting and kicking him. The defendant refused to get into the patrol car and struck the deputy; the deputy struck the defendant in retaliation.

Several eyewitnesses to these events corroborated the deputy’s testimony and testified that they observed the defendant’s wife jump on the deputy’s back, “clawing and kicking” as the deputy attempted to place her husband in the patrol car. Two by-standers were required to restrain Mrs. Perano; both testified she was “hysterical” and “screaming” for the police to be called.

The defendant was taken to a local hospital where another law enforcement officer asked him to submit to a chemical analysis of his blood. At this time the officer informed the defendant of his right to an independent chemical analysis by an expert of his own choosing pursuant to OCGA § 40-6-392 (a) (3) (Code Ann. § 68A-902.1 (a) (3)). It is not disputed that the defendant was not made aware of these rights at the time of his physical arrest.

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Bluebook (online)
300 S.E.2d 668, 250 Ga. 704, 1983 Ga. LEXIS 601, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/perano-v-state-ga-1983.