Buchanan v. City of Auburn
Buchanan v. City of Auburn
Opinion
On March 8, 1985 at approximately 2:00 a.m., appellant, John Roderick Buchanan, was stopped by Officer Willie Smith of the Auburn Police for driving at an excessive rate of speed. Officer Smith, using a radar speed gun, clocked appellant's speed at 52 miles per hour in a 35-mile-per hour zone.
Officer Smith testified that after he stopped appellant's automobile, he requested that appellant produce his driver's license. Appellant fumbled through his wallet, dropping cards, and attempted to give the officer his student identification card. Appellant finally produced his driver's license, but during the interim the officer observed the "strong odor of an alcoholic beverage" on appellant's breath. The officer *Page 146 asked appellant if he had been drinking and appellant replied that he had. At that time the officer told appellant that he would like him to take an Alcosensor test. Appellant complied and the test was administered at the scene. Appellant failed the Alcosensor test.
The officer informed appellant that he was under arrest for speeding, and that he was going to take him down to the Auburn Police Department where he would be administered the Intoxilizer 5000 test. The results of the Intoxilizer 5000 test revealed an alcohol level of .133 percent. Appellant was then charged with D.U.I. Thereafter, upon a jury trial, appellant was found guilty of D.U.I., and was assessed a fine of $500 and costs and was ordered to attend D.U.I. school. From this conviction and sentence he now appeals.
Contrary to appellant's assertion, he was not detained for D.U.I. merely because he was speeding. He was detained for D.U.I. because Officer Smith, after stopping him for speeding, observed that he had a "glassy outlook about his eyes," that he was "very disoriented," that he had a "strong odor of an alcoholic beverage on [his] breath," and because he, thereafter, failed an Alcosensor test.
In Richardson v. City of Trussville,
Likewise, in the instant case, upon stopping appellant for speeding and noticing the various indications that he was intoxicated, and upon his failure of the Alcosensor test, the officer was clearly under a duty to detain appellant and transport him to the city jail for further testing. Contrary to appellant's assertion, there was abundant probable cause to detain him for D.U.I.
We note that §
"The provisions of this section shall not apply . . . to any person charged with driving while under the influence of intoxicating liquor . . . and the arresting officer shall take such person forthwith before the nearest or most accessible magistrate."
Appellant contends that he was neither charged nor arrested for D.U.I. at the scene, and, thus, that this section does not apply to him.
Upon appellant's failing the Alcosensor test, Officer Smith handcuffed him, placed him in his patrol car, and transported him to the police station. This Court, in Waldrop v. State,
*Page 147"An arrest is the taking, seizing, or detaining of the person of another by touching, or by any act which indicates an intention to take him into custody and subject the person arrested to the actual control and will of the person making the arrest. . . ."
The evidence in this case clearly indicates that appellant was effectively placed under arrest for D.U.I. at the scene, although formal charges were not made until test results from the Intoxilizer 5000 were available. We, therefore, find that the appellant's objection to the admission of the results of the breath test was properly overruled and that his motion for judgment of acquittal was properly denied.
Furthermore, appellant also appears to argue that because he was characterized as a "perfect gentleman" by one of the officers the test results should be ignored. Section
For the foregoing reasons, this case is due to be affirmed.
AFFIRMED.
All the Judges concur.
Reference
- Full Case Name
- John Roderick Buchanan v. City of Auburn.
- Cited By
- 5 cases
- Status
- Published