Vaughn v. State

972 So. 2d 56, 2008 WL 73550
CourtCourt of Appeals of Mississippi
DecidedJanuary 8, 2008
Docket2006-KA-00065-COA
StatusPublished
Cited by8 cases

This text of 972 So. 2d 56 (Vaughn v. State) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Court of Appeals of Mississippi primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Vaughn v. State, 972 So. 2d 56, 2008 WL 73550 (Mich. Ct. App. 2008).

Opinion

972 So.2d 56 (2008)

Ronald VAUGHN, Appellant
v.
STATE of Mississippi, Appellee.

No. 2006-KA-00065-COA.

Court of Appeals of Mississippi.

January 8, 2008.

*57 Michael E. Robinson, attorney for appellant.

Office of the Attorney General by Ladonna C. Holland, attorney for appellee.

Before MYERS, P.J., GRIFFIS and CARLTON, JJ.

MYERS, P.J., for the Court.

¶ 1. Ronald Vaughn was convicted of aggravated driving under the influence following an accident in which his car struck a police officer on foot. Vaughn sought to suppress the results of a blood sample taken after the accident. However, the trial court denied his motion. Vaughn seeks review of the trial court's denial of his motion to suppress the blood samples and their results. Vaughn also challenges *58 the trial court's denial of his motion for a directed verdict or new trial because the blood samples were improperly introduced at trial. Finding no error, we affirm.

STATEMENT OF FACTS AND PROCEDURAL HISTORY

¶ 2. On February 9, 2004, Michael Hollingsworth, a deputy for the Warren County Sheriff's Department, was working a funeral detail. Deputy Hollingsworth parked his car, with lights flashing, on Highway 80 in order to direct traffic so that the funeral procession could continue to the nearby cemetery. A car driven by Ronald Vaughn approached and attempted to pass the funeral procession, driving east in the westbound lane. As Vaughn was passing the procession, his car struck Deputy Hollingsworth, who was attempting to flag him down. Deputy Hollingsworth flew into oncoming traffic, was thrown onto a truck, and then landed in a nearby ditch.

¶ 3. After the accident, Vaughn left his vehicle. When approached by others at the scene of the accident, Vaughn became confrontational, cursing and threatening to leave. Vaughn then fell to the ground after being told by those on the scene he would not be leaving until police arrived. Highway Patrol Officer Scott Henley arrived soon thereafter at the scene of the accident. He approached Vaughn, who was unresponsive. The officer testified he observed that Vaughn smelled of alcohol and marijuana and his eyes were dilated. Officer Henley further testified to having observed a bottle of gin and a bag of marijuana in Vaughn's car. Vaughn was arrested and charged with aggravated driving under the influence (DUI).

¶ 4. Vaughn was then transported by Trooper Daniel Lewis of the Mississippi Highway Patrol to River Road Hospital in Vicksburg. After arriving at the hospital, Officer Henley requested that a blood sample be taken from Vaughn. Henley observed a nurse take the sample from Vaughn and he handed the container to Trooper Lewis, who sealed the sample. Henley then transported the sample to the Mississippi Crime Laboratory, where the sample later tested positive for marijuana, ecstasy, and methamphetamine. Remarkably, Hollingsworth recovered from the accident, but did suffer a very serious injury, which required extensive therapy. Vaughn was subsequently convicted of aggravated DUI.

¶ 5. Vaughn asserts the samples should have been excluded for two reasons. First, Vaughn argues that the blood samples were taken in violation of his Fourth Amendment rights. Second, Vaughn contends that the State failed to establish a proper chain of custody of the blood samples; thus, the trial court should have excluded the blood samples from evidence.

¶ 6. Vaughn contends that the blood test violated his Fourth Amendment rights because he did not consent and there was no valid search warrant. Vaughn points out that there was no emergency or exigent circumstance which prevented the police from obtaining a valid search warrant to take the blood sample. Vaughn also argues that he was either not actually under arrest at the time the sample was taken or that the arrest itself was unlawful. Vaughn asserts the State failed to initially establish a chain of custody and failed to establish that the blood samples actually belonged to Vaughn.

¶ 7. Finally, Vaughn contends that he established a clear break in the chain of custody regarding the blood sample, and that the blood evidence should have been excluded at trial. Vaughn seeks to have the trial court's decision reversed or, in the alternative, to grant him a new trial.

*59 ¶ 8. First, the State argues that Vaughn is barred from appealing the denial of his motion to suppress because he failed to allege this assignment of error in his motion for JNOV or new trial. Alonso v. State, 838 So.2d 309, 313(¶ 10) (Miss.Ct. App.2002) (citing Seals v. State, 767 So.2d 261(¶ 6) (Miss.Ct.App.2000)). Notwithstanding the bar, however, the State contends that Officer Henley acted properly in ordering the blood test without a search warrant or consent. The State argues that Mississippi Code Annotated section 63-11-5(1) (Rev.2004) provides that consent is implied if a person operates a vehicle on the public roads of Mississippi and, as such, Officer Henley had authority to order the blood test. Additionally, the State argues Officer Henley properly complied with the law since he had both reasonable grounds and probable cause to believe Vaughn was under the influence of drugs or alcohol at the time of the accident. Further, the State denies Vaughn's contention that he was not under arrest. The State contends that the arresting officers were conducting a search incident to lawful arrest when taking the sample, and further that exigent circumstances were present, necessitating taking the sample without a warrant. The State argues that nearly two hours had lapsed before Vaughn was transported to the hospital from the scene of the accident, thus creating exigent circumstances.

¶ 9. With regard to Vaughn's second argument, the State contends that Vaughn failed to present evidence showing that the chain of custody of the evidence had been broken. The State further asserts that it is not required to call every single person as a witness who handled the evidence to establish a proper chain of custody. Additionally, the State points out that Vaughn has failed to present evidence that the blood sample was altered or tampered with during the testing process.

STANDARD OF REVIEW

¶ 10. "When reviewing a trial court's ruling on a motion to suppress, we must assess whether substantial credible evidence supports the trial court's finding considering the totality of the circumstances." Shaw v. State, 938 So.2d 853, 859(¶ 15) (Miss.Ct.App.2005) (citing Price v. State, 752 So.2d 1070, 1073(¶ 9) (Miss.Ct. App.1999)). "The standard of review for the admission or suppression of evidence in Mississippi is abuse of discretion." Troupe v. McAuley, 955 So.2d 848, 855(¶ 19) (Miss.2007) (citing Poole v. Avara, 908 So.2d 716, 721(¶ 8) (Miss.2005)).

¶ 11. This Court reviews a trial court's denial of a JNOV or a motion for new trial under an abuse of discretion standard. Dilworth v. State, 909 So.2d 731, 736(¶ 17) (Miss.2005) (citing Howell v. State, 860 So.2d 704, 764 (¶ 212) (Miss. 2003)). When looking at the denial of a JNOV, the court looks to the sufficiency of the evidence at trial. Dilworth, 909 So.2d at 736(¶ 17). "[T]he critical inquiry is whether the evidence shows `beyond a reasonable doubt that accused committed the act charged, and that he did so under such circumstances that every element of the offense existed; and where the evidence fails to meet this test it is insufficient to support a conviction.'" White v. State, 958 So.2d 241, 245(¶ 12) (Miss.Ct.App.2007) (citing Bush v. State, 895 So.2d 836, 843(¶ 16) (Miss.2005)).

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Bluebook (online)
972 So. 2d 56, 2008 WL 73550, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/vaughn-v-state-missctapp-2008.