State v. Ray

8 Ohio App. Unrep. 65
CourtOhio Court of Appeals
DecidedNovember 27, 1990
DocketCase No. 2657
StatusPublished

This text of 8 Ohio App. Unrep. 65 (State v. Ray) 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. Ray, 8 Ohio App. Unrep. 65 (Ohio Ct. App. 1990).

Opinion

BROGAN, J.

Appellant, James D. Ray, appeals from the decision rendered by the Clark County Municipal Court in which he was convicted of operating a motor vehicle while under the influence of alcohol in violation of R.C. 4511.19(A) (3).

On March 2, 1989, Ray was stopped by Officers Brian Radanovich and John Keys of the Springfield Police Department, after they observed him turn west on West Columbia Street which is a one way street traveling east. While speaking with Ray, the officers detected a strong odor of alcohol about his person and further, they noticed that Ray's speech was slurred and his eyes were red and watery. A field sobriety test was conducted which Ray had difficulty in completing. Ray was placed under arrest and was taken to the Clark County Jail where he voluntarily submitted to a breath test which resulted in an alcohol concentration level of .168 grams per 210 liters of breath. Ray was then charged with operating a motor vehicle while under the influence of alcohol in violation of R.C. 4511.19(A) (1) and (3) and traveling the wrong way on a one way street in violation of Springfield City Ordinance Section 331.30.

Ray entered a plea of not guilty to the charges and subsequently filed a motion to suppress the results of the breath test and filed [66]*66a motion to appoint an expert witness at public expense. A pretrial hearing was held at which Ray alleged that due to violations of Ohio Administrative Code Sections 3701-52-01, 3701-53-02 and 3701-53-04, the breath test was inaccurate and therefore the results should be suppressed. Ray also contended in his motion to appoint an expert witness, that in order to prepare an appropriate defense and in order to properly cross-examine the State's witnesses he needed the assistance of an engineering expert. The court chose to reserve its ruling on these motions and permitted the State to go forward with its witnesses. The State presented Trooper Richard Karns, Leonard Porter and Trooper Erin Babb. All three testified with regard to the intoxilyzer and the techniques used to insure its accuracy. Subsequently, the trial court denied Ray's motions to suppress the breath test results and to appoint an expert witness in a written entry dated July 24,1989. Ray then entered a plea of no contest and was found guilty by the court of operating a motor vehicle while under the influence of alcohol. It is from this judgment that this timely appeal is brought.

For reasons of clarity, we will address Ray's assignments of error in reverse order.

In appellant's second and third assignments of error, he contends that the trial court erred in failing to grant his motion to suppress, where the State failed to demonstrate compliance with Ohio Administrative Code Sections 3701-53-0KB), 3701-53-02(0 and 3701-53-04, which state in part:

"3701-53-0KB):

"(B) At least one copy of the following written methods or techniques for performing tests in use under paragraph (A) of this rule shall be on file in the area where analytical tests are performed:

"(1) In the case of a breath testing instrument, the operational manual provided by the instrument's manufacturer;

"3701-53-02(0:

"(C) A radio frequency interference (RFI) survey shall be performed for each breath testing instrument listed in paragraphs (A) (1) to (A) (3) and (A) (5) of this rule that is in operation at each breath testing site. RFI surveys are not required for the instrument listed in paragraph (A) (4) of this rule. Survey results shall be recorded on the form set forth in appendix G to this rule. The original RFI survey form and any subsequent RFI survey forms shall be kept on file in the area where tests are performed. A new survey shall be conducted when a breath testing instrument's spatial placement or axis is changed from that designated in the most recent survey form. Radio transmitting antennae shall not be used within any RFI-affected zone during conduct of a subject test or a calibration check.

"3701-53-04:

"(A) Breath testing instruments must be checked for calibration no less, frequently than once every seven days by a senior operator using a solution of ethyl alcohol approved by the director of health and using the calibration checklist for the instrument being checked, as set forth in appendices A to F to this rule."

It is Ray's contention that the State failed to properly perform the radio frequency interference (RFI) survey, failed to have a copy of the operation manual with the breath testing instrument and failed to have the instrument properly calibrated. Further, he contends that due to the noncompliance with the relevant administrative code sections, the results of his breath test were inaccurate and thus, should have been suppressed.

In Mentor v. Giordano (1976), 9 Ohio St. 2d 140, the Ohio Supreme Court held that before the results of a breathalyzer test given an accused are admissible against him, it is incumbent upon the State to show that the instrument was in proper working order and that its manipulation had the qualifications to conduct the test (affirmed in Cincinnati v. Sand (1975), 43 Ohio St. 2d 15). R.C. 4511.19 (B) provides that the court may admit evidence of the concentration of alcohol in the defendant's breath if the breath was analyzed in accordance with the methods provided by the director of health.

In State v. Steele (1977), 52 Ohio St. 2d 187, the Ohio Supreme Court held that the failure to observe the subject of the breath test for a few seconds did not invalidate the test result unless the defendant could produce evidence that he had ingested something prejudicial to the validity of the test results during these seconds. In Steele, the Court examined the basis for the given regulations in determining whether anything short of absolute compliance would prejudice the reliability of the test result.

The proof of a breathalyzer's proper calibration is a necessary prerequisite to the admission of the results into evidence in a R.C. [67]*674511.19 prosecution. Pursuant to OAC 3701-53-04(A), all breath-testing devices must be calibrated no less frequently than once every seven days. See Pioneer v. Martin (1984), 16 Ohio App. 3d 478.

The State was able to demonstrate that the logbook for the machine indicated it had been calibrated on January 18 and 29, 1989. The appellant was tested on March 2,1989, so the State failed to demonstrate compliance with the regulation. Since the calibration process is the only cross-check used to determine the accuracy of the testing instrument, the obvious, though unstated rationale for the rule is to show that the equipment was working properly both before and after any given test. Painter & Looker, Ohio Driving Under the Influence Law (1988), at 56.

State v. Schuck (1986), 22 Ohio St. 3d 296, the Ohio Supreme Courtheld that in analyzing the accuracy of a particular intoxilyzer reading, a court may not rely solely on the intoxilyzer's design specifications where data from calibration checks have been properly submitted. We agree with the appellant that the State's failure to demonstrate its compliance with OAC 3701-53-04 mandates that the results of the appellant's test results be rendered inadmissible.

The State’s witnesses presented testimony as to the procedure used in conducting the radio frequency interference survey.

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Related

Village of Pioneer v. Martin
478 N.E.2d 1098 (Ohio Court of Appeals, 1984)
State v. Scott
535 N.E.2d 379 (Ohio Court of Appeals, 1987)
City of Mentor v. Giordano
224 N.E.2d 343 (Ohio Supreme Court, 1967)
State v. Steele
370 N.E.2d 740 (Ohio Supreme Court, 1977)
State v. Jenkins
473 N.E.2d 264 (Ohio Supreme Court, 1984)
State v. Schuck
490 N.E.2d 596 (Ohio Supreme Court, 1986)

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Bluebook (online)
8 Ohio App. Unrep. 65, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/state-v-ray-ohioctapp-1990.