Plummer v. Devore

836 P.2d 1264, 114 N.M. 243
CourtNew Mexico Court of Appeals
DecidedJuly 7, 1992
Docket12122
StatusPublished
Cited by15 cases

This text of 836 P.2d 1264 (Plummer v. Devore) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering New Mexico Court of Appeals primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Plummer v. Devore, 836 P.2d 1264, 114 N.M. 243 (N.M. Ct. App. 1992).

Opinion

OPINION

PICKARD, Judge.

Defendant 550, Inc. appeals from a judgment in a wrongful death action holding it liable under the Alcoholic Licensees Liability Act, NMSA 1978, Section 41-11-1 (Repl.Pamp.1986). On appeal, defendant contends that the trial court erred in (1) admitting the results of a breathalyzer test, (2) admitting expert testimony relying on the results of the breathalyzer test, (3) denying defendant’s motion for a directed verdict, and (4) denying defendant’s motion for a new trial. We reverse based on the first two issues.

Wilson Devore, Jr. (Devore) and his brother traveled from Crownpoint to Farmington on August 29, 1986, to do some shopping. Around midnight, they stopped at the Turnaround Bar. Devore stated that they engaged in private conversation until the bar closed at 2:00 a.m., and that during that time, he drank three or four beers. After the bar closed, Devore and his brother lingered in the parking lot for half an hour; made a brief stop at a gas station for fuel, coffee, and food; and headed back to Crownpoint. At 5:45 a.m., Devore’s vehicle crossed the highway centerline fifty-eight miles south of Farming-ton and hit Edward Plummer’s vehicle head-on. Plummer died from his injuries six weeks later. Devore admitted to falling asleep at the wheel, but denied passing out from intoxication. He maintained on both direct and cross-examination that he had only had three or four beers at the bar, and that he did not drink before arriving or after leaving the bar. When asked by plaintiffs’ counsel whether he might have consumed more than four beers, however, Devore stated, “I can’t answer that.”

At 7:35 a.m. on the morning of the accident, Navajo Police Sergeant Daniel Johns administered a breathalyzer test to Devore, noting that Devore smelled like alcohol, had bloodshot eyes, and was excited. One test was administered, using an Intoxilyzer 5000 machine. The result of the test showed that Devore had a blood alcohol level of 0.07 percent. Based on this result, plaintiffs’ expert witness, Dr. Douglas Ferraro, performed certain calculations and testified that Devore must have had a blood alcohol level of 0.10 percent at the time of the accident, and 0.155 percent when he left the bar. According to Ferraro, Devore would have had to have consumed ten beers in the two hours he was at the bar to reach that level of intoxication.

Defendant objected to the testimony of both Johns and Ferraro. Defendant first objected to the fact that Johns had been certified to administer breathalyzer tests in Arizona, but not in New Mexico. Additionally, defendant objected to Johns’ discussing Devore’s breathalyzer test result based on Johns’ testimony that the breathalyzer machine had not been calibrated for five months at the time he tested Devore, and Johns’ admission that breathalyzer machines must be calibrated on a weekly or monthly basis to be accurate. Defendant similarly objected to Ferraro’s evidence due to the fact that Ferraro’s calculations were all based on the 0.07 percent test result; that Ferraro admitted that if the result itself was inaccurate, all his conclusions would be wrong; and that Ferraro acknowledged that if an Intoxilyzer 5000 machine was not calibrated for five months, there would be a “question” about the validity of its test reading. The trial court overruled all of the objections, indicating that they went to the weight rather than the admissibility of the evidence.

The jury found that defendant was negligent in serving liquor to Devore, and further found that this negligence was a proximate cause of Plummer’s death. The jury awarded plaintiffs $1,253,000, specifying that defendant was seventy percent negligent and that Devore was thirty percent negligent.

Because they are related, we address defendant’s first two points of error together. To the extent that defendant continues to press the issue of Johns’ lack of New Mexico certification, the matter has been resolved unfavorably to defendant by State v. Eden, 108 N.M. 737, 743, 779 P.2d 114, 120 (Ct.App.1989), and State v. Watkins, 104 N.M. 561, 564, 724 P.2d 769, 772 (Ct.App.1986), which make clear that certification is a factor which goes to the weight, rather than the admissibility, of the evidence. However, defendant’s other contentions concerning the inadmissibility of the test results, based on their invalidity, deserve more attention.

Defendant argues that because there was no showing of the validity of the test results, they were inadmissible in this case. Defendant points to Johns’ testimony that the machine had not been calibrated in the five months preceding the accident, coupled with his admission that such machines must be calibrated on a weekly or monthly basis, at least, to remain accurate. He also points to Ferraro’s concurrence in Johns’ opinion regarding calibration and validity. Relying on Watkins and cases from other states, plaintiffs respond that defendant is merely attacking the weight and credibility of the evidence, which are matters for the trier of fact to resolve.

We believe this issue is answered by our own cases and do not address the out-of-state authority, which we do not find persuasive in any case. Plaintiffs’ reliance on Watkins is misplaced. There was evidence in Watkins showing that the particular machine used had been calibrated both shortly before and after Watkins was tested, and was found to have a variation rate of only O.01 percent. Id. at 564, 724 P.2d at 772. Two witnesses in that case testified that the machine was functioning properly and that standard procedure was followed in giving the test. Id. Watkins’ complaints involved, at most, a conflict in the evidence. In contrast, in this case, the complaint is of a total failure to show the validity of the test.

The fact that Eden and Watkins characterized the challenges before this court as matters of weight rather than admissibility, which were easily resolved on' appeal, does not mean that the admissibility of breath test evidence is a given in every case. Notwithstanding the high degree of accuracy attributed to breath tests, State v. Bearly, 112 N.M. 50, 54, 811 P.2d 83, 87 (Ct.App.1991), we hold that upon proper objection, there must be a threshold showing of the machine’s validity as foundation for admission of the evidence. Cf. State v. Dorsey, 88 N.M. 184, 539 P.2d 204 (1975) (prerequisite to admission of polygraph evidence is showing of validity of test made on subject); State ex rel. Human Servs. Dep’t v. Coleman, 104 N.M. 500, 504, 723 P.2d 971, 975 (Ct.App.1986) (foundation requirements for admission of serologic testing in paternity proceedings includes evidence of the validity of tests made on the subject); State v. Henderson, 100 N.M. 260, 262, 669 P.2d 736, 738 (Ct.App.1983) (admission of “automated teller” photos under “silent witness” theory upheld where foundation evidence included testimony concerning film developing procedure); Simon Neustadt Family Ctr., Inc. v. Bludworth, 97 N.M.

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Bluebook (online)
836 P.2d 1264, 114 N.M. 243, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/plummer-v-devore-nmctapp-1992.