State Of Washington v. Michael Christian Rich

CourtCourt of Appeals of Washington
DecidedAugust 26, 2013
Docket68558-9
StatusUnpublished

This text of State Of Washington v. Michael Christian Rich (State Of Washington v. Michael Christian Rich) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Court of Appeals of Washington primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

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State Of Washington v. Michael Christian Rich, (Wash. Ct. App. 2013).

Opinion

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IN THE COURT OF APPEALS OF THE STATE OF WASHINGTON

STATE OF WASHINGTON, NO. 68558-9-1

Respondent, DIVISION ONE

v.

MICHAEL C. RICH, JR., UNPUBLISHED OPINION

Appellant. FILED: August 26, 2013

Lau, J. — Michael Rich appeals his conviction of felony driving under the

influence (DUI), contending that (1) the trial court erred in granting his request to

represent himself and (2) insufficient evidence exists to support each alternative means

of committing DUI. He also asserts other grounds for reversal and sentencing errors.

Because Rich established that his right to counsel was not knowingly and intelligently

waived and insufficient evidence exists to support the alternative means, we reverse

and remand for retrial.

FACTS

Around 10 p.m. on November 21, 2010, Wendy Pullen watched Rich drive slowly

off the road and into a shallow ditch. Pullen telephoned her aunt, who lived in a nearby 68558-9-1/2

house. Pullen's uncle, David LaCount, went outside to investigate. He saw Rich in the

driver's seat and a female in the passenger seat with a beer can between her legs.

Rich exited the car and announced that his uncle was coming to tow the car. LaCount

later testified, "[A]s soon as [Rich] got out of the car all I smelled was beer." Verbatim

Report of Proceedings (VRP) (Feb. 28, 2012) at 58.

LaCount asked Rich, "Are you drunk?" VRP (Feb. 28, 2012) at 59. Rich pointed

to the female passenger, chuckled, and said, "She's my designated driver." VRP (Feb.

28, 2012) at 59. Skagit County Sheriffs Deputy Robert Bearden contacted Rich.

Deputy Bearden, who testified he received advanced DUI investigation training, noticed

that Rich stumbled when he walked. When asked for his identification, Rich handed

Deputy Bearden an identification card and a casino club card. Deputy Bearden

testified, "While Mr. Rich was standing in front of me, about two feet in front of me, I

could smell the odor of the consumption of alcohol coming from his breath and person.

I also observed that when he spoke he had slurred speech, bloodshot watery eyes."

VRP (Feb. 28, 2012) at 89. Rich admitted to driving the car but refused to undergo field

sobriety testing.

Deputy Bearden arrested Rich on suspicion of DUI. During a pat-down search

incident to arrest, Deputy Bearden found a "glass marijuana-style pipe" that smelled of

burnt marijuana. VRP (Feb. 28, 2012) at 92. Meanwhile, a Washington State Patrol

trooper arrived with a canine unit. The canine detected no evidence of narcotics in

Rich's car. Deputy Bearden transported Rich to the Skagit County Jail. There, Rich

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waived his Miranda rights.1 Deputy Bearden advised Rich that he was under arrest for DUI and asked him to consent to a breath test. Rich refused the test.

The State charged Rich with felony DUI and gross misdemeanor first degree driving while license suspended (DWLS). The trial court granted Rich's request to

represent himself and appointed standby counsel. The State later dismissed the DWLS

charge and proceeded to trial on the felony DUI charge. After the jury returned a guilty verdict, the court sentenced Rich to 5 years of confinement and 12 months of

community custody. Rich appeals.

ANALYSIS

Rich challenges his felony DUI conviction, arguing (1) invalid waiver of his right

to counsel, (2) insufficient evidence to support the alleged alternative means of

committing DUI, (3) failure to prove the element of four or more prior DUI convictions,

(4) prosecutor misconduct in closing argument, (5) offender scoring error, and

(6) sentence exceeds statutory maximum.

Waiver of the Right to Counsel

Rich contends his waiver was invalid because the "trial court employed an

abbreviated colloquy and granted the pro se request by use of an incorrect written pro

se waiver form at the prosecutor's request, which affirmatively misadvised Mr. Rich of

the charges he faced and the maximum penalty." Br. of Appellant at 10.

A criminal defendant has a constitutional right to self-representation. Faretta v.

California. 422 U.S. 806, 819, 95 S. Ct. 2525, 45 L. Ed. 2d 562 (1975); Wash. Const.

1Miranda v. Arizona. 384 U.S. 436, 444, 86 S. Ct. 1602, 16 L. Ed. 2d 694 (1966).

-3- 68558-9-1/4

art. I, § 22 (amend. 10). Waiver of this right must be knowing, voluntary, and intelligent.

City of Bellevue v. Acrev. 103 Wn.2d 203, 208-09, 691 P.2d 957 (1984). On appeal, the

burden of proof rests with the defendant to show that his right to counsel was not

competently, knowingly, and intelligently waived. State v. Hahn. 106 Wn.2d 885, 901,

726 P.2d 25 (1986). Improper acceptance of a defendant's waiver request constitutes

reversible error. State v. Madsen. 168 Wn.2d 496, 503, 229 P.3d 714 (2010); see also

United States v. Arlt. 41 F.3d 516, 521 (9th Cir. 1994).

In State v. DeWeese. 117Wn.2d369, 816 P.2d 1 (1991), the court held that a

trial court must establish that a defendant, in choosing to represent himself, makes a

knowing and intelligent waiver of the right to counsel. "We approach the question of

whether [the defendant's] waiver was knowing and intelligent with caution, recognizing

the serious nature of the inquiry and the [United States] Supreme Court's admonition

that 'courts indulge in every reasonable presumption against waiver.'" Arlt, 41 F.3d at

520 (quoting Brewer v. Williams, 430 U.S. 387, 404, 97 S. Ct. 1232, 1242, 51 L. Ed. 2d

424 (1977)). Self-representation is a grave undertaking, one not to be encouraged, and

courts should indulge in every reasonable presumption against waiver. Brewer. 430

U.S. at 404; DeWeese. 117 Wn.2d at 379.

"We review a trial court's grant of a defendant's self-representation request for an

abuse of discretion." State v. James. 138 Wn. App. 628. 636. 158 P.3d 102(2007). "A

trial court abuses its discretion if its 'decision is manifestly unreasonable, or is exercised

on untenable grounds, or for untenable reasons.'" James. 138 Wn. App. at 636 (citation

omitted) (quoting State v. Vermillion. 112 Wn. App. 844, 855, 51 P.3d 188 (2002)).

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To determine the validity of a purported waiver, the trial court should hold a

colloquy on the record that, at a minimum, informs the defendant of (1) the nature and

classification of the charge, (2) the maximum penalty upon conviction, and (3) that

technical rules will bind the defendant in the presentation of his or her case. Acrev. 103

Wn.2d at 211. Absent a colloquy, the record "must somehow otherwise show that the

defendant understood the seriousness of the charges and knew the possible maximum

penalty." Acrev. 103 Wn.2d at 211: see also Madsen. 168 Wn.2d at 504 n.2 ("A

colloquy is unnecessary if there are independent, identifiable facts that show whether

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Related

Miranda v. Arizona
384 U.S. 436 (Supreme Court, 1966)
Faretta v. California
422 U.S. 806 (Supreme Court, 1975)
Brewer v. Williams
430 U.S. 387 (Supreme Court, 1977)
Daniel Eugene Frazer v. United States
18 F.3d 778 (Ninth Circuit, 1994)
United States v. Aaron L. Jackson
368 F.3d 59 (Second Circuit, 2004)
State v. DeWeese
816 P.2d 1 (Washington Supreme Court, 1991)
State v. Sinclair
730 P.2d 742 (Court of Appeals of Washington, 1986)
State v. Petrich
683 P.2d 173 (Washington Supreme Court, 1984)
Cowiche Canyon Conservancy v. Bosley
828 P.2d 549 (Washington Supreme Court, 1992)
State v. Christensen
698 P.2d 1069 (Court of Appeals of Washington, 1985)
State v. Kelly
328 P.2d 362 (Washington Supreme Court, 1958)
State v. Shabel
976 P.2d 153 (Court of Appeals of Washington, 1999)
State v. Hahn
726 P.2d 25 (Washington Supreme Court, 1986)
City of Bellevue v. Acrey
691 P.2d 957 (Washington Supreme Court, 1984)
State v. Salinas
829 P.2d 1068 (Washington Supreme Court, 1992)
State v. Ortega-Martinez
881 P.2d 231 (Washington Supreme Court, 1994)
State v. Santos
260 P.3d 982 (Court of Appeals of Washington, 2011)
State v. Boyd
275 P.3d 321 (Washington Supreme Court, 2012)
State v. Silva
31 P.3d 729 (Court of Appeals of Washington, 2001)

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