State v. Greyeyes

734 P.2d 789, 105 N.M. 549
CourtNew Mexico Court of Appeals
DecidedFebruary 10, 1987
Docket9600
StatusPublished
Cited by30 cases

This text of 734 P.2d 789 (State v. Greyeyes) 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
State v. Greyeyes, 734 P.2d 789, 105 N.M. 549 (N.M. Ct. App. 1987).

Opinion

OPINION

DONNELLY, Chief Judge.

Defendant appeals his conviction of driving while intoxicated, in violation of NMSA 1978, Section 66-8-102 (Cum.Supp.1986). On appeal, defendant raises six issues. We group the questions presented and discuss: (1) claims of error as to the admission of evidence; (2) denial of preliminary hearing; (3) sufficiency of the evidence; and (4) legality of sentence. We affirm defendant’s conviction, but reverse as to the sentence imposed and remand for resentencing.

Defendant was arrested and charged with driving while intoxicated, following a single vehicle accident near Bloomfield, San Juan County, New Mexico, on January 18, 1986. An employee of the Hilltop Thrift-way called the New Mexico State Police to report the incident. At approximately 9:25 a.m., Officer Noe Galvan was notified by police radio to investigate an accident at the Hilltop Thriftway Store. The radio call characterized the matter as a “10-44” with a “10-47.” At trial, Officer Galvan testified to receiving the call directing him to the accident scene. He was then asked to relate the meaning of the specific codes contained in the radio dispatch he had received. Defendant objected on hearsay grounds. The state explained to the trial court that the definition of the code call was not offered for the truth of the matter asserted, but for the convenience of the jury in understanding why the officer was called to the scene. The officer was permitted to testify as to the meaning of the two codes, and stated that “10-44” refers to a vehicular accident without injuries, and “10-47” refers to a drunk driver.

Upon arriving at the scene, Officer Gal-van parked his patrol car behind a brown pickup truck and observed the defendant and another man standing to the left of the truck. Officer Galvan approached the men and asked which of them was the owner of the vehicle. Defendant admitted that he was the owner. Galvan then proceeded to the front of the truck, observing that the front wheels were suspended and that the vehicle was “high centered” on a rail post. Defendant admitted, in response to an inquiry from the officer, that he had been driving the truck. The officer then asked defendant how the accident had occurred. Defendant stated that he had left the store, gotten into his vehicle, and driven straight into the railing. While questioning defendant, the officer noticed the smell of alcohol on his breath. Defendant, upon being asked whether he had been drinking, admitted that he had been drinking “all night.” The officer then asked defendant to perform several field sobriety tests, and thereafter, Galvan concluded that defendant was intoxicated and placed him under arrest for driving while intoxicated. Officer Galvan did not actually ever observe defendant in the act of imbibing alcohol or operating the motor vehicle.

After his arrest, defendant was taken to the San Juan County Detention Center where an “Intoxalator” breath test was administered. Defendant’s breath test indicated that he had a 0.18 — 0.19 blood alcohol level. Prior to trial, defendant moved for suppression of the breath test results, arguing that, since the officer had not personally observed the defendant drink alcohol or operate a motor vehicle, the officer had been without authority to arrest the defendant; the breath test was, therefore, excludable as the fruit of an illegal arrest. The trial court denied defendant’s motion.

Defendant requested a preliminary hearing before trial, alleging that the charge of a second or subsequent DWI is a felony charge such that a preliminary hearing is required. The trial court also refused this request.

At trial, defendant objected to the admission of any of his oral statements to the officer prior to being placed under arrest. Over objection, the trial court permitted the officer to testify as to defendant’s statements.

Following a jury trial, defendant was convicted of the charge of driving while intoxicated and sentenced to one year in the custody of the Department of Corrections.

I. EVIDENTIARY ISSUES

(A) Questioning at Scene of Accident.

Defendant argues that his statements to Officer Galvan at the scene of the accident were taken in violation of his rights under Miranda v. Arizona, 384 U.S. 436, 86 S.Ct. 1602, 16 L.Ed.2d 694 (1966), as the officer’s preliminary questions were in the nature of custodial interrogation. Defendant also argues that his motion to exclude portions of his testimony to the arresting officer should have been granted because he was not given the warnings required under Miranda.

The constitutional right of an accused person to be informed of his right to remain silent attaches once an investigation has reached an accusatory stage and has focused on the accused. Miranda; State v. Tapia, 81 N.M. 365, 467 P.2d 31 (Ct.App.1970). The accusatory stage has been equated with being in custody, under indictment or being interrogated. Miranda; State v. Tapia. However, the right to the administration of Miranda warnings does not attach until an accused is in custody or deprived of freedom in some significant way. State v. Swise, 100 N.M. 256, 669 P.2d 732 (1983). General on-the-scene questioning or other general questioning of citizens in the fact-finding process is not considered custodial, and a person in these circumstances need not be informed of his rights before being questioned. The mere fact that police may have focused their investigation on a defendant at the time of the interview does not raise questioning to a level required to warrant Miranda warnings. State v. Lopez, 79 N.M. 282, 442 P.2d 594 (1968); State v. Montano, 95 N.M. 233, 620 P.2d 887 (Ct.App.1980); See generally Stelzner, Criminal Procedure, 12 N.M.L.Rev. 271, 295-297 (1982); Annot., 31 A.L.R.3d 565 (1970 & Supp.1986).

The facts of this case establish that, upon arriving at the scene, the investigating officer approached the only two individuals present to ask general investigatory questions. One of the two individuals was defendant, who voluntarily answered the officer’s questions as to ownership of the vehicle and what had happened. Defendant argues that it is not unreasonable to assume that he was in custody after the arrival of the officer at the scene. We disagree. Nothing in the record of this case would suggest that the officer’s initial questioning was anything more than purely investigatory. The questions did not occur in a custodial situation, hence defendant’s rights under Miranda did not attach. The trial court properly refused to exclude defendant’s answers. See State v. Swise; State v. Montano.

(B) Statement of Police Dispatcher

Defendant argues that the trial court erred in admitting Officer Galvan’s hearsay testimony concerning statements made by the police dispatcher when he directed the officer to the scene by radio message. The record shows that the officer gave the information as an explanation of the “ten code” radio messages he received from the dispatcher.

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Bluebook (online)
734 P.2d 789, 105 N.M. 549, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/state-v-greyeyes-nmctapp-1987.