State of Missouri v. JACOB W. BOOK

436 S.W.3d 671, 2014 WL 1799806, 2014 Mo. App. LEXIS 520
CourtMissouri Court of Appeals
DecidedMay 6, 2014
DocketSD32709
StatusPublished
Cited by4 cases

This text of 436 S.W.3d 671 (State of Missouri v. JACOB W. BOOK) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Missouri Court of Appeals primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
State of Missouri v. JACOB W. BOOK, 436 S.W.3d 671, 2014 WL 1799806, 2014 Mo. App. LEXIS 520 (Mo. Ct. App. 2014).

Opinion

WILLIAM W. FRANCIS, JR., C.J.

Jacob W. Book (“Book”) appeals his convictions of the class B misdemeanors of driving while intoxicated (“DWI”) (Count I) and operating a motor vehicle in a careless and imprudent manner (Count II). Following a bench trial, Book was sentenced by the trial court on Count I to ninety days in jail, with suspended execution of that sentence and two years’ unsupervised probation under certain conditions; and on Count II, to thirty days in jail and suspended execution of that sentence with two years’ unsupervised probation, to run concurrent with Count I. We affirm the judgment and sentence of the trial court.

Facts and Procedural Background

The record reveals that at approximately 1:00 a.m. on April 8, 2012, an off-white 1982 Ford Granada, going southbound on Grant Avenue, was observed to be driving erratically. While initially in its appropriate lane of traffic, the vehicle ultimately crossed into the lane for oncoming traffic, proceeded up onto the sidewalk sideswiping utility poles and wrought iron handrails, and ultimately came to rest against another utility light pole severed in half from the impact. Officers on the scene identified Book as the driver, observed signs of impairment, and while he refused medical treatment, had Book transported to the emergency room. At the emergency room, blood was drawn from Book and sent to the Missouri Highway Patrol crime lab for testing.

On June 15, 2012, a probable cause statement was issued stating there was probable cause to believe that: (1) Book committed one or more criminal offenses; (2) the “crimes” happened on April 8, 2012; (3) Book was suspected of “being intoxicated and causing an accident”; and (4) blood taken from Book at the hospital showed a positive result for “the drug THC.”

On July 27, 2012, Book was charged by misdemeanor information with the class B misdemeanor of driving while intoxicated, pursuant to section 577.010, 1 in that he “operated a motor vehicle while under the influence of a drug or drugs[,]” and the class B misdemeanor of careless and imprudent driving, pursuant to section 304.012, “by leaving the roadway and striking a pole, and thereby endangering the property of another.” The probable cause statement was the basis for the misdemeanor information and was attached thereto and “made a part” thereof. A criminal summons was issued for Book on August 3, 2012. Trial was scheduled for January, 28, 2013.

At trial, Daniel Brewer (“Brewer”) testified he was riding his bicycle on the left side of the street, northbound on Grant, in Springfield, Greene County, Missouri. Brewer initially observed a southbound white car approaching him in its correct lane about two blocks to his north. Shortly after Brewer initially observed the southbound white car coming over a hill toward him, he saw the white car “swerve like this, like very slowly over into, like, oncoming traffic — but there was no traf- *674 fíe — and over. And then he hit the sidewalk and hit a bunch of poles and went through yards, kind of.” The white car then crashed head-on into a pole and came to a stop. There was extensive front-end damage to the vehicle. Brewer saw Book emerge from the white car and lie down on the ground clutching his chest and stomach while making “pain noises.” Book’s speech was incoherent: “He was saying random stuff. Like, ... he was in bad pain.” Brewer summoned aid for Book from a nearby restaurant.

Jennifer Sandage (“Officer Sandage”), a patrol officer with the Springfield Police Department, was the first officer on scene. She testified she was a six-year veteran with the department and had training in detecting intoxicated drivers, as well as people under the influence of marijuana. Upon arrival at the scene, she observed an off-white 1982 Ford Granada automobile on the east side of the road facing southwest, which had obviously been involved in an accident. She also observed a utility light pole that had been sheared in half by Book’s vehicle, damage to several other utility poles, and damage to wrought iron handrails leading up to a residence.

Book was in the vehicle when she arrived and she identified him by means of his driver’s license. She noted Book’s speech was slurred and that his movements were uncoordinated, slow, and unsteady. She also observed Book’s eyes to be watery. Based on her training and experience, these observations caused Officer Sandage to believe Book was impaired. Not only was Book’s behavior consistent with ingestion of marijuana, but she believed “[tjhere was other things on board[.j” Sandage asked Book if he had been drinking and Book said he had two or three beers. Although Officer Sandage saw no signs of physical injury to Book, he complained of physical pain but declined medical treatment. Disregarding Book’s resistance to medical treatment, she felt it appropriate to call for emergency medical services.

Officer Mark Stewart (“Officer Stewart”), also with the Springfield Police Department, arrived at the scene shortly after Officer Sandage. Officer Stewart testified he had training and experience in detection of persons intoxicated either with alcohol or with other substances. When he arrived at the scene, Officer Stewart observed “a car that was wrecked out into a pole,” Book seated on the sidewalk, and Officer Sandage near the car. When asked, Book first told Officer Stewart he had drank two or three beers but then stated it was actually one large beer. Officer Stewart noted the moderate odor of alcohol on Book’s breath and that his “speech was confused.” Officer Stewart later overheard Book tell paramedics that he had taken hydrocodone.

Officer Stewart was unable to conduct any field sobriety tests because paramedics had already placed Book on a backboard for transportation to the hospital. Officer Stewart followed the ambulance to the hospital where he read Book the Missouri Implied Consent Law, but Book kept “falling asleep as [he] was reading it to him.” Medical personnel gave Book chest rubs to “try and keep him awake.” Officer Stewart requested medical personnel draw Book’s blood in order to conduct a “chemical test.” The blood was drawn and Officer Stewart received and marked the sample. Officer Stewart spent about an hour with Book at the hospital and based on his experience, Book exhibited behavior consistent with someone who had “consumed marijuana.”

Book’s blood was drawn by Tiffany Smith, a registered nurse who worked in the emergency room at Mercy Medical *675 Center. Book was under her care when he presented at the emergency room for treatment. She had started an IV for Book and at the request of Officer Stewart, she drew a vial of Book’s blood, through the IV, in strict accordance with her training and accepted medical practice. She placed a patient sticker on the vial, handed the vial and the Betadine swab to Officer Stewart, and Officer Stewart then marked the vial.

Book’s blood was then tested by Kelli Schuldies (“Schuldies”), a criminalist with the Missouri State Highway Patrol crime lab, where her duties included the analysis of blood and urine for alcohol and drugs. By stipulation, Schuldies was accepted as an expert criminalist by the trial court. Schuldies’ results were submitted as State’s Exhibit 1. Schuldies’ testing identified “carboxy-THC,” a metabolite or breakdown product of THC, in the sample of Book’s blood.

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436 S.W.3d 671, 2014 WL 1799806, 2014 Mo. App. LEXIS 520, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/state-of-missouri-v-jacob-w-book-moctapp-2014.