Trujillo v. Rio Arriba County ex rel. Rio Arriba County Sheriff's Department

319 F.R.D. 571, 2016 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 175366, 2016 WL 9021827
CourtDistrict Court, D. New Mexico
DecidedDecember 19, 2016
DocketNo. CIV 15-0901 JB/WPL
StatusPublished
Cited by8 cases

This text of 319 F.R.D. 571 (Trujillo v. Rio Arriba County ex rel. Rio Arriba County Sheriff's Department) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering District Court, D. New Mexico primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Trujillo v. Rio Arriba County ex rel. Rio Arriba County Sheriff's Department, 319 F.R.D. 571, 2016 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 175366, 2016 WL 9021827 (D.N.M. 2016).

Opinion

MEMORANDUM OPINION AND ORDER

JAMES O. BROWNING, UNITED STATES DISTRICT JUDGE

THIS MATTER comes before the Court on the Defendants’ Motion for Qualified Immunity and Summary Judgment, filed June 7, 2016 (Doc. 34)(“MSJ”). The Court held a hearing on September 21, 2016. The primary issues are: (i) whether Defendants Rio Arri-ba County, Rio Arriba County Sheriffs Department, and Deputy Gilbert Atencio are entitled to summary judgment on Plaintiff John Trujillo’s federal claim for discrimination in •violation of Title II of the Americans with Disabilities Act, 42 U.S.C. §§ 12131-12165 (“ADA”)(Count IV), and his state law claims for false imprisonment (Count I), false arrest (Count II), and malicious abuse of process (Count III); and (ii) whether Atencio is entitled to qualified immunity with respect to the ADA claim. The Court will grant in part and deny in part the MSJ. The Court concludes that the Defendants are entitled to summary judgment on the ADA claim, because Trujillo was arrested pursuant to probable cause that he was driving while intoxicated and because Trujillo was not refused a reasonable accommodation as the ADA requires. The Court declines, however, to exercise supplemental jurisdiction over the remaining state law claims and remands the case for further state court proceedings. The final issue—whether Atencio is entitled to qualified immunity—is moot, because the Defendants have withdrawn their qualified immunity motion in light of the fact that Trujillo’s ADA claim is not asserted against Atencio.

FACTUAL BACKGROUND

The Court will provide two factual background sections, which are set forth below. First, the Court will contextualize the MSJ by providing a brief overview of the facts based on the allegations in the Complaint to Recover Damages Pursuant to the New Mexico Tort Claims Act and for the Deprivation of Rights Guaranteed by the New Mexico Constitution, filed October 7, 2015 (Doc. 1-1)(“Complaint”). Second, the Court will set forth the undisputed facts based on the par[579]*579ties’ briefings for purposes of deciding the MSJ under rule 56(a) of the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure.

1. The Complaint’s Factual Allegations.

This action arises out of the alleged wrongful arrest of Trujillo on August 22, 2018, for driving under the influence (“DUI”). See Complaint ¶¶ 20-80, at 3-7. Trujillo is an honorably discharged United States Army veteran who suffers from degenerative joint disease in his knees and nephropathy, an end stage renal disease associated with diabetes mellitus.1 See Complaint ¶¶ 8-9, at 2. At 7:00 p.m. on August 22, 2013, Trujillo stopped at a Rio Arriba County Sheriffs Department DUI checkpoint on Highway 68 in Velarde, New Mexico. See Complaint ¶¶ 21-22, at 3. Trujillo admitted to consuming two beers with dinner, and Armijo instructed Trujillo to pull to the side of the road. See Complaint ¶¶ 24-27, at 3. Atencio approached the car and instructed Trujillo to perform sobriety tests. See Complaint ¶¶ 28-38, at 3-4. Because of his disabilities, Trujillo asked to “retrieve his walking cane from the trunk of his car.” Complaint ¶ 38, at 4. Trujillo attempted to explain his disabilities and offered to present his Handicap Placard as proof, but Atencio denied Trujillo’s request. See Complaint ¶¶ 43-44, at 4. Trujillo struggled to perform various walking and standing tests, and informed Atencio of his knee problems and other ailments. See Complaint ¶¶ 64-73, at 6. Atencio then administered a preliminary breath test and informed Trujillo that his breath alcohol level was 0.12. See Complaint ¶¶ 48-51, at 4-5. At 7:16 p.m., Atencio arrested Trujillo for DUI. See Complaint ¶¶ 36-78, at 4-6. Atencio then took Trujillo to Presbyterian Española Hospital in Española, New Mexico, for blood testing. See Complaint ¶ 82, at 7. Atencio kept Trujillo in handcuffs until Trujillo’s daughter paid his bail around midnight. See Complaint ¶ 91, at 7. The results of the blood test later indicated that Trujillo had no alcohol in his system. See Complaint ¶ 99, at 8.

2. Undisputed Facts.

On August 22, 2013, Rio Arriba County Sheriffs Department was conducting a DUI checkpoint “on Highway 68 near mile marker 14.50 in Velarde, New Mexico.” MSJ ¶ 4, at 4 (setting forth this fact). See Plaintiffs Response to Defendants’ Motion for Qualified Immunity and Summary Judgment ¶ 3, at 9, filed August 1, 2016 (Doc. 55)(“MSJ Response”)(not disputing this fact). Trujillo encountered the DUI checkpoint at approximately 7:00 p.m. See MSJ ¶ 5, at 4 (setting forth this fact); MSJ Response ¶ 4, at 9 (not disputing this fact). Upon meeting Armijo, Trujillo “admitted to drinking two beers within the past few hours.” MSJ ¶ 6, at 4 (setting forth this fact). See MSJ Response ¶ 5, at 9 (not disputing this fact). Trujillo was instructed to move to a “separate staging area where he was directed to complete a series of DUI field sobriety tests.” MSJ ¶ 7, at 5 (setting forth this fact). See MSJ Response ¶ 6, at 9 (not disputing this fact). Once in the area, Atencio gave Trujillo a preliminary breathalyzer test (“PBT”). See MSJ ¶ 8, at 5 (setting forth this faet)(citing Complaint ¶ 51, at 5).2 Trujillo was also administered a [580]*580horizontal gaze nystagmus test (“HGN”),3 which he failed. See MSJ ¶ 9, at 5 (setting forth this fact)(citing Deposition of Murray Conrad at 40:19-23 (taken May 2, 2016), filed June 7, 2016 (Doe. 34-2)(“Conrad Depo.”)(Conrad, Sullivan)).4 The HGN test [581]*581correlates with indicia of intoxication. See MSJ ¶ 10, at 5 (setting forth this fact)(citing Conrad Depo. At 45:19-23)(Conrad)).5

[583]*583Trujillo was administered a finger dexterity test, which he performed with both hands. See MSJ ¶ 12, at 5 (setting forth this fact); MSJ Response ¶ 11, at 11 (not disputing this fact). Trujillo is missing his right thumb. See MSJ ¶ 11, at 5 (setting forth this fact); MSJ Response ¶ 10, at 11 (not disputing this fact). Trujillo failed the finger dexterity test with his right hand. See MSJ ¶ 13, at 5 (setting forth this fact).6

[584]*584During this encounter, Atencio7 “observed an odor of alcohol and that [Trujillo] had bloodshot eyes.” MSJ ¶ 14, at 5 (setting forth this fact).8 Atencio also observed that Trujillo [585]*585had slurred speech and that he had a breath mint in his mouth. See MSJ Reply at 6.9

Trujillo “was arrested at approximately 7:16 pm.” MSJ ¶ 15, at 5 (setting forth this fact). See MSJ Response ¶ 14, at 12 (not disputing this fact). Trujillo’s arrest was for “driving Vhile impaired to the slightest degree.’ ” MSJ ¶ 16, at 5 (setting forth this fact).10 “As a courtesy to [Trujillo] and for his comfort, he was handcuffed with his hands in the front of his body.” MSJ ¶ 17, at 5 (setting forth this fact). See MSJ Response ¶ 16, at 12 (not disputing this fact). Trujillo “‘appreciate[d the] consideration’ Officer Ateneio showed him by placing the handcuffs in the front of his body.” MSJ ¶ 18, at 5 (setting forth this fact)(alteration in original). See MSJ Response ¶ 17, at 12 (not disputing this fact).

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Bluebook (online)
319 F.R.D. 571, 2016 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 175366, 2016 WL 9021827, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/trujillo-v-rio-arriba-county-ex-rel-rio-arriba-county-sheriffs-nmd-2016.