Schindler v. Commonwealth, Department of Transportation, Bureau of Driver Licensing

976 A.2d 601, 2009 Pa. Commw. LEXIS 390, 2009 WL 1507138
CourtCommonwealth Court of Pennsylvania
DecidedJune 1, 2009
Docket906 C.D. 2008
StatusPublished
Cited by9 cases

This text of 976 A.2d 601 (Schindler v. Commonwealth, Department of Transportation, Bureau of Driver Licensing) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Commonwealth Court of Pennsylvania primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Schindler v. Commonwealth, Department of Transportation, Bureau of Driver Licensing, 976 A.2d 601, 2009 Pa. Commw. LEXIS 390, 2009 WL 1507138 (Pa. Ct. App. 2009).

Opinions

OPINION BY

Judge LEAVITT.

The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, Department of Transportation, Bureau of Driver Licensing (Department), appeals an order of the Court of Common Pleas of Allegheny County (trial court) that sustained the appeal of Derek Daniel Schindler (Schindler) from a one-year suspension of his operating privileges for refusal to submit to chemical testing. Concluding that the arresting officer lacked reasonable grounds to believe that Schindler had been operating his vehicle under the influence of alcohol, we affirm.

On August 28, 2007, Schindler was charged with driving under the influence of alcohol or controlled substance in violation of Section 3731 of the Vehicle Code, 75 Pa.C.S. § 3731. On September 20, 2007, the Department notified Schindler that his operating privileges would be suspended for one year as a result of his refusal to submit to chemical testing on August 28, 2007, which violated Section 1547(b)(1)® of the Vehicle Code, 75 Pa.C.S. § 1547(b)(1)®.1 Schindler appealed to the trial court, and on April 17, 2008, the trial court held a de novo hearing.

The Department presented the testimony of Patrolman David Sciullo, a seven-year veteran of the Ross Township Police Department. Officer Sciullo testified that on August 28, 2007, at 3:15 a.m., he was dispatched to a single vehicle rollover accident. Officer Sciullo arrived at the accident scene at 3:21 a.m., and found a red Chevrolet Cavalier on its roof in the middle of the roadway. Schindler, who was 22 years old at the time, was outside of the vehicle sitting on the side of the roadway.

[603]*603According to Officer Seiullo, Schindler stated that he had been driving home from a friend’s house and the next thing he remembered was the car had flipped over. Schindler believed he had fallen asleep at the wheel. Reproduced- Record at 18a (R.R. _). Officer Seiullo testified that Schindler did not want to be taken to the hospital for treatment. Officer Seiullo stated that Schindler’s speech was slurred, his gait was unsteady and he had trouble maintaining his balance. Officer Seiullo did not recall seeing any injuries on Schindler.

Officer Seiullo requested that Schindler perform three field sobriety tests: the walk-and-turn, the one-leg stand, and the finger-to-nose test. Schindler failed each test. Concluding that Schindler was under the influence of alcohol or a controlled substance, Officer Seiullo handcuffed Schindler, placed him into the patrol car and advised him he was under arrest for DUI. Officer Seiullo further advised Schindler of the standard chemical test warnings, including that his operating privilege could be suspended for one year if he refused to consent.

Schindler initially agreed to the chemical test and was transported to UPMC Passa-vant Hospital. However, Schindler changed his mind. When they arrived at the hospital, Officer Seiullo read the warnings from Form DL-26 verbatim to Schindler. Schindler refused either to be tested or to sign the form. Schindler was then transported to the police station and detained overnight.

On cross-examination, Officer Seiullo was shown five photos of Schindler taken after the accident that showed cuts and bruises on his head, knees and feet. Officer Seiullo stated that he did not recall seeing these injuries after the accident but acknowledged that it was still dark when he arrived on the scene. Upon further questioning, Officer Seiullo admitted that he administered a Breathalyzer test to Schindler at the scene, and the test ruled out the presence of alcohol in Schindler’s system. Officer Seiullo also acknowledged that he searched Schindler’s vehicle for pills, vials and illicit drugs but found nothing. He also acknowledged the absence of track marks on Schindler’s arms. Finally, Officer Seiullo acknowledged that Schindler’s car had rolled over and that broken glass was strewn around the interior of the car. Although Officer Seiullo did not recall observing injuries to Schindler’s feet, he did recall that Schindler was wearing sandals.

Officer Seiullo further acknowledged on cross-examination that when Schindler was released from jail the next morning, his mother transported him to UPMC St. Margaret, where Schindler was examined and underwent, inter alia, a urinanalysis. Officer Seiullo conceded that the emergency room report showed that testing had ruled out any alcohol or illegal controlled substances in Schindler’s blood, and that he had sustained a closed head trauma and other injuries in the motor vehicle accident.

Schindler offered the testimony of his mother, who picked him up from the police station, took the photographs of his injuries and then transported him to UPMC St. Margaret. Mrs. Schindler testified that when she picked up her son, he was still woozy; his face was swollen; he had blood on his shirt; his knees and feet were cut and bloody; and he had extracted some glass from his cuts. R.R. 32a. According to Mrs. Schindler, her son had suffered a concussion and she was instructed to observe her son for symptoms of a head injury and monitor his sleep. The emergency room report was offered [604]*604into evidence.2

The trial court sustained Schindler’s appeal, concluding that Officer Sciullo did not have reasonable grounds to believe that Schindler was operating his vehicle while under the influence of alcohol or a controlled substance. The trial court also held that Schindler proved he was incapable of making a knowing and conscious decision to refuse chemical testing of his blood. The Department now appeals.3

On appeal, the Department contends that the trial court erred in holding that Officer Sciullo did not have reasonable grounds to believe Schindler had committed a DUI offense. It contends that it is irrelevant that chemical testing later ruled out the possibility that Schindler was operating his vehicle under the influence of alcohol or drugs.4 Schindler had a duty to consent to the testing upon request of Officer Sciullo. The Department argues that Officer Sciullo had grounds to request the test given Schindler’s slurred speech, unsteady gait and failure to pass the walk- and-turn, one-leg stand and flnger-to-nose sobriety tests.

To establish that a suspension of operating privileges was proper, the Department must prove at a statutory appeal hearing that the licensee (1) was arrested for driving while under the influence by a police officer who had reasonable grounds to believe that the licensee was operating a vehicle while under the influence of alcohol or a controlled substance, (2) was asked to submit to a chemical test, (3) refused to do so, and (4) was warned that a refusal would result in a license suspension. Banner v. Department of Transportation, Bureau of Driver Licensing, 558 Pa. 439, 445, 737 A.2d 1203, 1206 (1999). “Reasonable grounds exist when a person in the position of the police officer, viewing the facts and circumstances as they appeared at the time, could have concluded that the motorist was operating the vehicle while under the influence of intoxicating liquor.” Id. at 446, 737 A.2d at 1207. Whether reasonable grounds exist is a question of law reviewable by this Court on a case by case basis. Id.

The Department argues its evidence established that Schindler’s speech was slurred, his gait was unsteady, he had trouble maintaining his balance, and he [605]

Free access — add to your briefcase to read the full text and ask questions with AI

Related

J.A. Lizotte v. Bureau of Driver Licensing
Commonwealth Court of Pennsylvania, 2024
T. Kessler v. Bureau of Driver Licensing
Commonwealth Court of Pennsylvania, 2020
N. Jessen v. Bureau of Driver Licensing
Commonwealth Court of Pennsylvania, 2019
D. Lephew v. PennDOT, Bureau of Driver Licensing
Commonwealth Court of Pennsylvania, 2016
Com. v. Giampa, J.
Superior Court of Pennsylvania, 2014
Bonatesta v. Northern Cambria School District
48 A.3d 552 (Commonwealth Court of Pennsylvania, 2012)
Commonwealth v. Ulrich
17 Pa. D. & C.5th 417 (Berks County Court of Common Pleas, 2010)

Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
976 A.2d 601, 2009 Pa. Commw. LEXIS 390, 2009 WL 1507138, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/schindler-v-commonwealth-department-of-transportation-bureau-of-driver-pacommwct-2009.