§ 5-75-106 — Criminal prosecution - Evidence

Arkansas § 5-75-106

• Jurisdiction: Arkansas
• Title: 5

Text

(a) In any criminal prosecution of a person charged with the offense of operating or navigating any aircraft while intoxicated, the amount of alcohol in the defendant's breath or blood at the time or within two (2) hours of the alleged offense, as shown by chemical analysis of the defendant's blood, urine, breath, or other bodily substance gives rise to the following: (1) If there was at that time an alcohol concentration less than four hundredths (0.04) in the defendant's blood, urine, breath, or other bodily substance, it is presumed that the defendant was not under the influence of intoxicating liquor; and (2) If there was at the time an alcohol concentration of four hundredths (0.04) or more in the defendant's blood, urine, breath, or other bodily substance, this fact does not give rise to any presumption that the defendant was or was not under the influence of intoxicating liquor, but this fact may be considered with other competent evidence in determining the guilt or innocence of the defendant. (b) Subsection (a) of this section shall not be construed as limiting the introduction of any other relevant evidence bearing upon the question of whether or not the defendant was intoxicated. (c) The chemical analysis referred to in this section shall be made by a method approved by the State Board of Health. (d) (1) (A) A record or report of a certification, rule, evidence, analysis, or other document pertaining to work performed by the Office of Alcohol Testing of the Department of Health under the authority of this chapter shall be received as competent evidence as to the matters contained in the record or report in a court of this state, subject to the applicable rules of criminal procedure, when duly attested to by the Director of the Office of Alcohol Testing of the Department of Health or an assistant, in the form of an original signature or by certification of a copy. (B) A document described in subdivision (d)(1)(A) of this section is self-authenticating. (2) However, the instrument performing the chemical analysis shall have been duly certified at least one (1) time in the last three (3) months preceding arrest, and the operator of the instrument shall have been properly trained and certified. (3) Nothing in this section is deemed to abrogate a defendant's right of cross-examination of the person who performs the calibration test or check on the instrument, the operator of the instrument, or a representative of the office. (4) The testimony of the appropriate analyst or official may be compelled by the issuance of a proper subpoena ten (10) days prior to the date of the hearing or trial, in which case, the record or report is admissible through the analyst or official, who is subject to cross-examination by the defendant or his or her counsel.

Legislative History

Acts 1993, No. 824, § 6; 2001, No. 561, §§ 21, 22; 2007, No. 827, § 106.