State v. Reynolds

2014 Ohio 3642
CourtOhio Court of Appeals
DecidedAugust 22, 2014
Docket2012-CA-64
StatusPublished
Cited by5 cases

This text of 2014 Ohio 3642 (State v. Reynolds) 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. Reynolds, 2014 Ohio 3642 (Ohio Ct. App. 2014).

Opinion

[Cite as State v. Reynolds, 2014-Ohio-3642.]

IN THE COURT OF APPEALS

SECOND APPELLATE DISTRICT OF OHIO

GREENE COUNTY

STATE OF OHIO, : CASE NO. 2012-CA-64 Plaintiff-Appellee, : OPINION : - vs - :

SEAN R. REYNOLDS, :

Defendant-Appellant. :

CRIMINAL APPEAL FROM GREENE COUNTY COURT OF COMMON PLEAS Case Nos. 12 CR 161 and 11 CR 178

Steven K. Haller, Greene County Prosecuting Attorney, Nathaniel R. Luken, 61 Greene Street, Xenia, Ohio 45385, for plaintiff-appellee

Cicero Law Office, Lori R. Cicero, 500 East Fifth Street, Dayton, Ohio 45402, for defendant- appellant

M. POWELL, J.

{¶ 1} Defendant-appellant, Sean Reynolds, appeals his conviction in the Greene County

Court of Common Pleas for operating a vehicle while under the influence of alcohol. For the

reasons stated below, we affirm the decision of the trial court.

{¶ 2} On the afternoon of March 26, 2011, appellant was involved in an automobile accident. Appellant was traveling westbound in a red Jeep on a four-lane rural highway when he

struck a van from behind that was stopped at a red light. In attempting to stop, appellant's vehicle

veered sideways, hit the van, and then flipped on its side. Several vehicles were involved in the

collision as the force of the accident pushed the van into the other vehicles stopped at the

intersection.

{¶ 3} Appellant suffered injuries as a result of the accident and was transported to the

hospital by ambulance. While at the hospital, an Ohio State Highway Patrol Officer administered

the Horizontal Gaze Nystagmus (HGN) test and determined appellant was intoxicated. Appellant

refused to submit to a blood alcohol content test and no other field sobriety tests were conducted

due to his injuries. On April 15, 2011, in Case No. 2011 CR 178, appellant was indicted on two

counts of operating a vehicle while under the influence of alcohol (OVI) in violation of R.C.

4511.19(A)(1)(a) and R.C. 4511.19(A)(2), with specifications that the offenses would be felonies

in the fourth degree because appellant had at least five OVI convictions in the past 20 years.

{¶ 4} Appellant moved to suppress the results of the HGN test. A hearing was held

regarding the motion to suppress where State Highway Patrol Sergeant Frank Simmons testified

regarding his investigation of the collision and the administration of the HGN test. Simmons

administered the test in appellant's hospital room approximately three and one-half hours after the

collision. Appellant demonstrated six out of six clues for intoxication as a result of the test.

Simmons stated that appellant's hospital room smelled of alcohol and his eyes were bloodshot and

glassy. The trial court overruled appellant's motion to suppress.

{¶ 5} After appellant's motion to suppress was denied, the state dismissed the indictment

without prejudice on February 14, 2012. A second indictment was filed on April 20, 2012, Case

No. 2012 CR 161, alleging the same charges. The case proceeded to a jury trial where several witnesses testified.

{¶ 6} Bryan Freshour testified that he was stopped at a red light when he observed in his

rear-view mirror a red Jeep coming from behind him at a high rate of speed. According to

Freshour, several cars were stopped behind him and he "heard the screech and * * * a collision,

another collision, and then [he] felt a little nudge in [his] rear end, which put [him] a little out into

the intersection." Several other witnesses also testified they saw a red Jeep traveling at a high rate

of speed toward the intersection, attempt to stop, veer to the side, and then collide with the vehicles

stopped at the red light.

{¶ 7} Kelly Christman, a registered nurse at Miami Valley Hospital, treated appellant after

the collision. Christman testified that appellant's medical records indicated he smelled of alcohol

and he "refused labs." The record also stated appellant "could be discharged if he had a sober

ride." Christman explained she wrote in the record at 6:07 p.m., "patient has a sober ride waiting

for him in the waiting room. Patient to be discharged after done speaking with Ohio State Patrol."

On cross-examination, Christman acknowledged that under the "Psychiatric" section of the record

it states, "affect normal, judgment normal, mood normal" and that the record stated "patient was

alert and oriented and appropriate but did smell of alcohol." Christman also admitted she would

require patients that were given morphine to have a "sober ride" home and that she would not be

surprised to learn that appellant had been given morphine in the ambulance on his way to the

hospital.

{¶ 8} Simmons testified at trial regarding his investigation of the crash scene and his

interaction with appellant at the hospital. He explained that based on the measurement of the skid

mark left by appellant's vehicle, he estimated appellant's speed prior to braking to be 71 miles per

hour. Simmons also explained that at the hospital he obtained a written statement from appellant in which he stated he had a couple of beers prior to the accident and was distracted because he was

talking on his cell phone. As in the suppression hearing, Simmons testified appellant smelled of

alcohol, his eyes were bloodshot and glassy, and he demonstrated six out of six clues of

intoxication under the HGN test. Simmons explained that when four or more clues are observed

from the HGN test, the blood alcohol content of the subject is likely to be .10 and the accuracy rate

of the HGN test is 71% to 77%. Appellant also refused to submit to a blood alcohol test even

though Simmons made him aware that the refusal would result in an immediate driver's license

suspension. On cross, Simmons acknowledged dust and other irritants can cause bloodshot eyes

and that the airbag in the appellant's vehicle deployed out of the steering wheel.

{¶ 9} Michael Ransdell, a Beavercreek Township Fire Department paramedic and

firefighter, responded to the accident scene and treated appellant. Ransdell testified appellant was

strapped into the driver's seat by his seat belt and the paramedics cut the seatbelt and removed

appellant through the windshield. Appellant had an ankle injury and was strapped to a backboard

for transportation to the hospital via ambulance. During transit, Ransdell administered five

milligrams of morphine, the maximum amount he was authorized to administer to appellant.

{¶ 10} The jury trial lasted for two days. On the first day of trial, Judge Buckwalter

presided over the proceedings. Judge Wolaver presided over the second day of trial. The jury

found appellant guilty of both OVI counts. After trial, the case was transferred back to Judge

Buckwalter for sentencing. However, on October 5, 2012, Judge Wolaver was reassigned to the

case for sentencing. Appellant filed a motion for mistrial and an objection to the imposition of

sentence based on the transfer of the case between Judge Wolaver and Judge Buckwalter.

{¶ 11} On November 14, 2012, Judge Wolaver presided over appellant's sentencing

hearing. The trial court overruled appellant's motion for a mistrial and objection to the imposition of sentence. In regards to sentencing, the state elected to proceed on the first count, OVI in

violation of R.C. 4511.19(A)(1)(a) and dismissed the second count, OVI in violation of R.C.

4511.19(A)(2).

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2014 Ohio 3642, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/state-v-reynolds-ohioctapp-2014.