State v. Biro

2010 Ohio 5763, 191 Ohio App. 3d 201
CourtOhio Court of Appeals
DecidedNovember 24, 2010
DocketNo. 93737
StatusPublished

This text of 2010 Ohio 5763 (State v. Biro) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Ohio 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 v. Biro, 2010 Ohio 5763, 191 Ohio App. 3d 201 (Ohio Ct. App. 2010).

Opinion

Mary J. Boyle, Judge.

{¶ 1} Defendant-appellant, Timothy Biro, appeals his conviction of leaving the scene of an accident, in violation of R.C. 4549.02(A), which carried a “furthermore” clause elevating the offense to a third-degree felony as a result of the victim dying. He raises the following six assignment of errors:

{¶ 2} “[I] The trial court erred when it refused to allow the defense to qualify officer Gilbert as an accident [expert] and ask him about his conclusion that the front of Mr. Biro’s vehicle struck the bicycle while it was on the ground and did not strike a person.

{¶ 3} “[II] Mr. Biro is only guilty of a misdemeanor violation of R.C. 4549.02 because the indictment does not allege a felony violation.

{¶ 4} “[III] The jury verdict form only supports a misdemeanor conviction.

{¶ 5} “[TV] The jury was incorrectly instructed regarding the elements of the furthermore clause in Count Two.

{¶ 6} “[V] The combination of errors discussed in assignments II through IV constitute a structural error that requires reversal.

{¶ 7} “[VI] The evidence is insufficient to sustain a felony conviction of R.C. 4549.02.”

{¶ 8} After a thorough review of the facts and applicable law, we affirm.

Procedural History and Facts

{¶ 9} The grand jury indicted Biro on two charges: (1) aggravated vehicular homicide, in violation of R.C. 2903.06(A)(2)(a), and (2) failure to stop after an accident, in violation of R.C. 4549.02(A). The second count also carried a furthermore clause, stating that the accident in question resulted in the death of the victim. The charges arose out of Biro’s vehicle allegedly colliding with the victim, who was on a bicycle and who died as a result of the collision. Biro pleaded not guilty to the charges, and the matter proceeded to a jury trial.

{¶ 10} The state presented the testimony of two eyewitnesses, Loshanda Mollica and Jujuan Mays. Mollica testified that the victim was riding his bicycle across East 55th Street toward Woodland when Biro’s vehicle collided with him, causing the victim to bounce off Biro’s car, hit the ground, and go partially underneath Biro’s vehicle, where she believed that he was run over by the rear of the car. Mays testified that she saw that the victim and Biro were about to collide, so she looked away, but that she heard the collision. Mays saw Biro’s vehicle clear the intersection in front of her, slow down for a few seconds, and then proceed to accelerate and continue on East 55th Street. Mays, along with her husband, who was driving, followed Biro’s vehicle and called 9-1-1, providing [204]*204the police with Biro’s license plate number. She further testified that her husband flashed the lights of their vehicle in an attempt to stop Biro.

{¶ 11} The state also produced forensic evidence that supported the eyewitnesses’ testimony that Biro’s vehicle had contact with the victim’s bike and the victim. Specifically, the state established that the paint smear found on Biro’s vehicle was consistent with the paint damage on the bike, that the black transfer material found on the surface of the vehicle was consistent with the composition of the bike’s brake lever, and that there was a consistency of patterns between the sidewall and pedal of the bike and the undercarriage of Biro’s vehicle. The state further introduced evidence that the victim’s sweatshirt bore a tire pattern that had class characteristics consistent with the tire of Biro’s vehicle. The coroner’s testimony also revealed that the victim died from blunt trauma that caused extensive internal bleeding and that the victim’s injuries were consistent with having been run over by a car.

{¶ 12} The state also called Richfield Police Officer Robert Gilbert, who testified that he heard the radio call regarding a possible hit-and-run by a vehicle registered to Biro. Gilbert then stopped Biro, who was driving to his home in Hudson. Biro was escorted to the Richfield Police Department, where a breath-alcohol test was administered, revealing a blood-alcohol content of .014 milligrams per liter, under the legal limit of .08.

{¶ 13} On cross-examination, Gilbert testified that Biro appeared to be going the speed limit, that he seemed surprised to be pulled over, and that once he was informed of the basis of the stop, i.e., suspected involvement in an accident, he was “noticeably upset.” Gilbert further testified that he anticipated that Biro’s vehicle would have had a headlight out based on the alleged accident because “when a motor vehicle strikes a person or objects with today’s plastic lights they break pretty easily and it would damage one of them.” Gilbert testified, however, that the only noticeable damage that he observed was (1) an indentation on the left-hand side in the bumper cover and (2) a broken driving light in the lower left-hand corner of the motor vehicle.

{¶ 14} After the state’s presentation of its case-in-chief, the trial court granted Biro’s Crim.R. 29 motion as to the aggravated-vehicular-homicide count but denied Biro’s motion as to the second count.

{¶ 15} The trial proceeded on the charge of failure to stop after an accident.

{¶ 16} The defense presented a character witness who testified that Biro is one of the “most honest, open, truthful, caring persons.”

{¶ 17} Biro also testified in his own behalf. According to him, he recalled that at the intersection of East 55th and Woodland, he “hit a bump that felt similar to what you would expect if you hit a pothole.” Immediately following, he slowed [205]*205down, looked in his left side mirror, and observed car lights behind him “but nothing else.” He never saw a bicycle or person lying on the ground. He then proceeded to drive home but was ultimately pulled over in Richfield. He testified that he had no idea that his vehicle was involved in an accident.

{¶ 18} The jury returned a guilty verdict on the second count and further found that the victim died as a result of the accident, thereby elevating the offense to a third-degree felony. The trial court sentenced Biro to one year of community-control sanctions.

{¶ 19} Biro now appeals his conviction. For the ease of discussion, we will address Biro’s assignments of error out of order.

Misdemeanor versus Felony Conviction under R.C. 4549.02

{¶ 20} Biro’s second, third, fourth, fifth, and sixth assignments of error all relate to former R.C. 4549.021 and the penalty provision contained in the statute.

{¶ 21} The statute provides:

{¶ 22} “(A) In case of accident to or collision with persons or property upon any of the public roads or highways, due to the driving or operation thereon of any motor vehicle, the person driving or operating the motor vehicle, having knowledge of the accident or collision, immediately shall stop the driver’s or operator’s motor vehicle at the scene of the accident or collision and shall remain at the scene of the accident or collision until the driver or operator has given the driver’s or operator’s name and address and, if the driver or operator is not the owner, the name and address of the owner of that motor vehicle, together with the registered number of that motor vehicle, to any person injured in the accident or collision or to the operator, occupant, owner, or attendant of any motor vehicle damaged in the accident or collision, or to any police officer at the scene of the accident or collision.”

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Bluebook (online)
2010 Ohio 5763, 191 Ohio App. 3d 201, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/state-v-biro-ohioctapp-2010.