State v. Mueller

2019 WI App 15, 927 N.W.2d 158, 386 Wis. 2d 351
CourtCourt of Appeals of Wisconsin
DecidedFebruary 12, 2019
DocketAppeal No. 2018AP44-CR
StatusPublished

This text of 2019 WI App 15 (State v. Mueller) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Court of Appeals of Wisconsin primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
State v. Mueller, 2019 WI App 15, 927 N.W.2d 158, 386 Wis. 2d 351 (Wis. Ct. App. 2019).

Opinion

HRUZ, J.1

¶1 James Mueller appeals a judgment, entered following a jury trial, convicting him of fourth-offense operating a motor vehicle while under the influence of intoxicants or drugs. Mueller argues the circuit court erred by denying his motion to suppress evidence obtained after a traffic stop, contending the police officer lacked reasonable suspicion to extend the traffic stop and lacked probable cause to arrest Mueller. Mueller also challenges the sufficiency of the evidence upon which the jury found him guilty. We affirm.

BACKGROUND

¶2 Around 4:10 p.m. on the day at issue, officer Ross Austin noticed Mueller stopped in the furthest left lane of traffic, approximately 150 feet from an intersection. The traffic light facing Mueller was green, and there were no vehicles between Mueller and the intersection. Austin passed Mueller's vehicle and turned around. On his second pass, Austin noticed Mueller's vehicle had moved forward approximately 75 feet closer to the intersection and into the right-turn lane, but it was again stationary in the turn lane while having a green light. Austin observed that other vehicles driving toward the intersection had to drive around Mueller's vehicle in order to continue forward. Austin activated his overhead emergency lights and contacted Mueller.

¶3 When Austin approached the vehicle, Austin observed Mueller with his head facing down, writing something onto a piece of paper. Once Mueller realized Austin had approached Mueller's vehicle, he put the paper away and informed Austin that he was stopped in the turn lane because he was waiting for the light to turn green. Austin informed Mueller that the light was currently green and vehicles were passing around him. Mueller thanked Austin and then proceeded to drive forward, although at this point the traffic light had changed to red. Austin ordered Mueller to stop, and Mueller complied.

¶4 After Mueller denied having consumed any alcohol that day, Austin retrieved Mueller's identification in order to run a background check in his squad car. While he ran the background check, Austin requested backup and called a different officer by phone. During that phone call, Austin told the officer that "something feels off." Austin returned to Mueller after having learned that he had prior convictions for operating while intoxicated, and Austin asked Mueller if he had been using any illegal drugs. Mueller denied doing so. Upon Austin's request, Mueller then agreed to perform field sobriety tests.

¶5 Before beginning the tests, but after Mueller had exited his vehicle, Austin asked Mueller if he had taken any prescription medications. Mueller replied that he had taken his prescribed clonazepam, which Austin knew to be a central nervous system depressant.2 Additionally, Mueller informed Austin that he had recently injured his ankle and had back problems. Mueller then performed the requested field sobriety tests. He exhibited clues of impairment on the walk-and-turn and the one-leg-stand tests.

¶6 Austin placed Mueller under arrest, suspecting Mueller had been operating his vehicle while impaired by his prescription medication. The State subsequently charged Mueller with fourth-offense operating a motor vehicle while under the influence of intoxicants or drugs, contrary to WIS. STAT. §§ 346.63(1)(a) and 346.65(2)(am)4.

¶7 Mueller moved to suppress evidence obtained from the traffic stop, arguing that Austin lacked reasonable suspicion to extend the traffic stop to conduct field sobriety tests, and that Austin lacked probable cause to arrest him. Austin was the only witness to testify at the suppression hearing. Following his testimony, the circuit court denied Mueller's motion. The court then entered a judgment of conviction against Mueller after a jury found him guilty. Mueller now appeals. Additional facts are discussed below.

DISCUSSION

¶8 Mueller raises two issues on appeal: (1) did the circuit court err by denying his suppression motion because Austin violated Mueller's Fourth Amendment right against unreasonable seizures; and (2) did the State present sufficient evidence at his trial for the jury to convict him of operating a motor vehicle while under the influence of prescription drugs. Mueller correctly notes that we would not need to reach the merits of his Fourth Amendment argument if we were to conclude the State presented insufficient evidence at trial. However, because we conclude the State presented sufficient evidence at trial, we address his arguments in the order in which they were presented to the circuit court.

I. The circuit court did not err by denying Mueller's suppression motion.

¶9 Mueller concedes Austin had a reasonable articulable basis to stop his vehicle. However, he argues that Austin lacked reasonable suspicion to justify the stop's extension in order to conduct field sobriety tests. Mueller also asserts that he was arrested without probable cause. The State responds that Austin had reasonable suspicion to conduct field sobriety tests under the totality of the circumstances.3 It also argues that probable cause existed to arrest Mueller because he exhibited odd behavior by stopping his vehicle in the middle of traffic, he admitted to using prescription medication before driving, and he performed poorly on the field sobriety tests. We agree with the State.

¶10 We apply a two-step standard of review when addressing a challenge to a circuit court's ruling on a motion to suppress evidence based on a Fourth Amendment violation. See State v. Martin , 2012 WI 96, ¶28, 343 Wis. 2d 278, 816 N.W.2d 270. We will uphold the circuit court's factual findings unless they are clearly erroneous. State v. Eskridge , 2002 WI App 158, ¶9, 256 Wis. 2d 314, 647 N.W.2d 434. We independently decide, however, whether the facts establish that a particular search or seizure occurred and, if so, whether it violated constitutional standards. See State v. Richardson , 156 Wis. 2d 128, 137-38, 456 N.W.2d 830 (1990). Where an unlawful stop or other unlawful detention occurs, the remedy is to suppress the evidence it produced. See State v. Washington , 2005 WI App 123, ¶10, 284 Wis. 2d 456, 700 N.W.2d 305.

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Related

City of West Bend v. Wilkens
2005 WI App 36 (Court of Appeals of Wisconsin, 2005)
State v. Eskridge
2002 WI App 158 (Court of Appeals of Wisconsin, 2002)
State v. Washington
2005 WI App 123 (Court of Appeals of Wisconsin, 2005)
State v. Richardson
456 N.W.2d 830 (Wisconsin Supreme Court, 1990)
State v. Post
2007 WI 60 (Wisconsin Supreme Court, 2007)
State v. Young
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State v. Arias
2008 WI 84 (Wisconsin Supreme Court, 2008)
State v. Poellinger
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State v. Patrick I. Hogan
2015 WI 76 (Wisconsin Supreme Court, 2015)
State v. Lamont Donnell Sholar
2018 WI 53 (Wisconsin Supreme Court, 2018)
State v. Martin
2012 WI 96 (Wisconsin Supreme Court, 2012)

Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
2019 WI App 15, 927 N.W.2d 158, 386 Wis. 2d 351, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/state-v-mueller-wisctapp-2019.