State v. Gunther, Unpublished Decision (7-5-2005)

2005 Ohio 3492
CourtOhio Court of Appeals
DecidedJuly 5, 2005
DocketNo. 04CA25.
StatusUnpublished
Cited by25 cases

This text of 2005 Ohio 3492 (State v. Gunther, Unpublished Decision (7-5-2005)) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Ohio Court of Appeals primary law.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State v. Gunther, Unpublished Decision (7-5-2005), 2005 Ohio 3492 (Ohio Ct. App. 2005).

Opinion

DECISION AND JUDGMENT ENTRY
{¶ 1} Defendant/Appellant Bret Gunther appeals from the judgment rendered by the Municipal Court of Circleville, Ohio, on his motion to suppress and his subsequent plea of no contest entered August 27, 2004. Appellant argues that the trial court erred in finding probable cause for his initial stop and subsequent arrest. He also argues that the trial court erred in admitting the portable breath test (PBT) results into evidence for the establishment of probable cause when the trooper misrepresented the admissibility of the results. We find that probable cause existed not only for Appellant's stop, but also for his subsequent arrest and therefore, affirm the trial court's denial of Appellant's motion to suppress. Additionally, because the trooper's arguable misstatement of the law regarding admissibility of PBT results did not amount to either a statutory or a constitutional violation requiring application of the exclusionary rule, we affirm the trial court's decision.

{¶ 2} On April 10, 2004, around midnight, Appellant was stopped by an Ohio Highway Patrolman. Appellant was southbound on Ashville Pike in Pickaway County, along with two other vehicles. The trooper initially was northbound, but turned around to follow the three vehicles heading south. The trooper observed Appellant's vehicle cross the center line of the road at least one time, as verified by the cruiser video footage. The trooper pursued Appellant's vehicle, eventually signaling for him to pull over into a nearby business parking lot. Ultimately, Appellant was arrested and charged with violations of R.C. 4511.25 and 4511.19 (A) (1) and (A)(4), a marked lanes violation and driving under the influence of a drug or alcohol, respectively.

{¶ 3} The trooper filed a statement of facts with the Circleville Municipal Court on April 12, 2004, which provided as follows:

{¶ 4} "Your Honor, on April 10, 2004, at 0029 hours Bret Gunther was stopped for a lane violation. I observed the defendant to be traveling southbound on Ashville Pike Rd. He drove left of center two times before I activated my overhead lights. He pulled into the bank parking lot at Ashville Pike and SR 752.

{¶ 5} Speaking to the defendant his eyes was (sic) bloodshot and glassy. An odor of an alcoholic beverage was omitting from his person. He advised that he had three drinks in commercial point and was heading to the trackside bar in Ashville. The defendant was given the field sobriety tests. (See the Impaired Drivers Report for the results to the field sobriety tests). He was given a PBT test and tested .121.

{¶ 6} The defendant was subsequently arrested for OVI, read his rights, and secured in the patrol car. His vehicle was secured at the scene and he was transported to the OSP Circleville Post for a chemical test. Upon arrival the defendant was read his rights and the BMV 2255. He was offered a breath test and accepted. He tested a .121.

{¶ 7} He was transported to the Circleville Police Department and slated. He was given a court date of April 14, 2004, at 0830 hours. He was cited for OVI and left of center."

{¶ 8} On May 19, 2004, Appellant filed a motion to suppress the evidence against him, claiming that the event was a warrantless seizure. On August 3, 2004, a suppression hearing was held and the arresting trooper was present. The trooper testified that he observed Appellant's vehicle travel left of center two times and when asked if it would appear on the video tape, he responded "[Y]es, it should be. It should be on there." While viewing the video, in court, the following testimony occurred:

"PROSECUTOR: Officer you viewed the tape did we capture the left of center on this tape?

WITNESS 1: Yes you should have it was right . .

JUDGE: Right in the beginning.

WITNESS 1: Right after I passed that car."

{¶ 9} The trooper further testified that once he stopped Appellant, he noticed "bloodshot and glassy eyes, [and] an odor of alcoholic beverage coming from the vehicle." The trooper also testified that Appellant told him he had three drinks. He then testified about performing field sobriety tests in which Appellant scored six clues on the horizontal gaze nystagmus test and three clues on the walk and turn test. During his testimony, the trooper noted that Appellant performed well on the one legged stand test. The trooper testified he then asked Appellant to submit to a PBT. Although not explored by either Appellant or Appellee during the hearing, it appears that upon inquiry by Appellant, the trooper advised that the results of the PBT could not be used against him. Appellant agreed to take the test, which indicated a reading of .120.1

{¶ 10} After hearing arguments by counsel, the trial court overruled the motion to suppress in its entirety, making several findings regarding probable cause to stop and arrest Appellant and also the admissibility of the PBT results, including the following:

1) that the PBT is not an evidentiary device like the Datamaster, but is a fact to be weighed among all other things, but given no scientific credibility; 2) that the video tape showed a more than a foot left of center violation with a relatively jerky correction, which probably got the officer's attention; 3) that the officer noticed glassy, bloodshot eyes and a strong odor of alcohol upon approaching Appellant; 4) that the Appellant told the officer that he had consumed alcohol that evening; and 5) that he received a strong reading on the HGN test and failed the PBT, and that Appellant even indicated to the officer that he thought he would fail the PBT test. The trial court reasoned that based upon these facts and circumstances, a reasonable officer would have taken Appellant in for a Datamaster test and as such, there was probable cause for the arrest.

{¶ 11} On August 27, 2004, Appellant entered pleas of no contest to both the OMVI and left of center charges, violations of R.C. 4511.19(A)(1) and (A)(4) and 4511.25 respectively. On September 15, 2004, he was sentenced to thirty days incarceration, with sentence suspended, mandatory three days in jail or three day driver intervention program, fines, costs, license suspension and probation. It is from this entry that Appellant now appeals, assigning the following errors:

{¶ 12} "I. THE TRIAL COURT ERRED IN FINDING PROBABLE CAUSE FOR THE STOP OF THE DEFENDANT.

{¶ 13} II. THE TRIAL COURT ERRED IN FINDING PROBABLE CAUSE FOR THE ARREST OF THE DEFENDANT.

{¶ 14} III. THE COURT ERRED IN ADMITTING THE PORTABLE BREATH TESTING DEVICE INTO EVIDENCE FOR PURPOSE OF THE PROBABLE CAUSE HEARING BECAUSE THE OFFICER MISREPRESENTED THE PBT'S LEGAL STATUS TO THE DEFENDANT TO GET HIM TO TAKE THE TEST."

{¶ 15} In his first assignment of error, Appellant argues that the trial court erred in overruling his motion to suppress. Initially, we note that appellate review of a ruling on a motion to suppress presents a mixed question of law and fact. State v. Featherstone,150 Ohio App.3d 24, 2002-Ohio-6028, 778 N.E.2d 1124 at paragraph 10, citing State v. Vest, Ross App. No.

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Bluebook (online)
2005 Ohio 3492, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/state-v-gunther-unpublished-decision-7-5-2005-ohioctapp-2005.