Korb v. N.D. Dep't of Transportation
Korb v. N.D. Dep't of Transportation
Opinion
[¶ 1] Ryan Michael Korb appealed from a judgment affirming a Department of Transportation decision suspending his driving privileges for ninety-one days. Korb argues (1) the arresting officer improperly included additional language before he read the statutorily required implied consent advisory, and (2) the record evidence was insufficient to establish that this blood test sample had been properly obtained. We conclude the officer did not act improperly by prefacing the implied consent advisory with accurate information. We also conclude the record evidence was sufficient to establish that the blood test sample had been properly obtained. We affirm.
I
[¶ 2] In August 2017, an officer initiated a traffic stop on a vehicle that appeared to be speeding. When the officer made contact with the driver, Korb, he observed that Korb had red, bloodshot, watery eyes. Korb admitted that he "felt a little buzzed." After Korb failed several field sobriety tests, the officer read the implied consent advisory and asked Korb to take a preliminary breath test. Korb consented. The preliminary breath test result was above the presumptive limit. The officer *52 then placed Korb under arrest for driving under the influence, read him his Miranda rights, and repeated the implied consent advisory. The advisory the officer read both times stated:
As a condition of operating a motor vehicle on a highway, or on a public or private area, to which the public has right of access to, you have consented to taking a test to determine whether you are under the influence of alcohol or drugs.
I must inform you that North Dakota law requires you to submit to a chemical test to determine whether you are under the influence of alcohol. Refusal to take the test as directed by a law enforcement officer may result in a revocation of your driver's license for a minimum of 180 days and potentially up to three years.
[¶ 3] After the second reading of the implied consent advisory, Korb consented to a chemical blood test. The blood test result showed blood alcohol levels above the legal limit.
[¶ 4] At the administrative hearing, Korb objected to admission of the blood test and related evidence under N.D.C.C. § 39-20-01(3)(b). Korb argued the record was insufficient to show the blood sample was properly obtained and fairly administered. Korb also argued there was insufficient evidence to establish compliance with the Form 104 checklist.
[¶ 5] During the hearing, the officer testified that the implied consent advisory given to Korb was read from a card prepared by the Burleigh County States Attorney. While discussing the blood draw, the hearing officer admitted the completed top portion of Form 104 into evidence. However, the bottom portion of the form, which contains a checklist, was not offered in evidence. Instead, the hearing officer questioned the officer on his compliance with the form's checklist.
[¶ 6] The hearing officer denied Korb's motion to exclude evidence of the blood test and concluded that both the implied consent advisory and blood test were properly administered. The Department suspended Korb's driving privileges for ninety-one days. Korb requested judicial review of the decision. The district court affirmed the hearing officer's decision that the implied consent advisory was lawful and that the officer's testimony was "sufficient to overcome the failure to introduce the Form 104."
II
[¶ 7] The Administrative Agencies Practice Act, N.D.C.C. ch. 28-32, governs our review of an administrative decision suspending or revoking a driver's license.
Crawford v. Dir., N.D. Dep't of Transp.
,
[¶ 8] In reviewing an agency's findings of fact, we do not make independent findings of fact or substitute our judgment for that of the agency; rather,
*53
we determine only whether a reasoning mind reasonably could have concluded the agency's findings were supported by the weight of the evidence from the entire record.
Crawford
,
III
[¶ 9] Korb argues the officer's statement that "[a]s a condition of operating a motor vehicle on a highway, or on a public or private area, to which the public has right of access to, you have consented to taking a test to determine whether you are under the influence of alcohol or drugs," was inaccurate, misleading, and did not comply with the "specific warning" required by statute. Korb suggests that under
State v. O'Connor
,
[¶ 10] "Words of a statute are given their plain, ordinary, and commonly understood meaning unless a contrary intention plainly appears."
State v. O'Connor
,
[¶ 11] Nothing in the record suggests that the language prefacing the implied consent advisory, derived from N.D.C.C. § 39-20-01(1), was an inaccurate statement of law. Nor does the record suggest the language rendered Korb's consent involuntary. "[A]n individual's consent is not coerced simply because an administrative penalty has been attached to refusing the test or that law enforcement recites that law to the driver."
McCoy v. N.D. Dep't of Transp.
,
[¶ 12] Additional information must not materially mislead or coerce the driver. If the additional language provided by the officer is accurate, its presence does not alter the sufficiency of a complete, *54 accurate implied consent advisory under N.D.C.C. § 39-20-01(3). The officer did not act improperly by including accurate statutory information before the implied consent advisory. The additional language read to Korb did not render his consent involuntary and evidence of the blood test was thus admissible in the administrative proceeding.
IV
[¶ 13] Korb argues the results of the blood test are inadmissible because the officer's testimony did not show scrupulous compliance with Form 104. Form 104 requires verification of five steps. Korb argues the officer did not comply with steps two and three:
2. Affixed Completed Specimen Label/Seal Over the Top and Down the Sides of the Blood Tube.
3. Placed the Blood Tube Inside the Blood Tube Protector and Then Placed it in the Plastic Bag Provided. ( Do Not Remove Liquid Absorbing Sheet. )
[¶ 14] A completed Form 104 checklist may be introduced as evidence at an administrative hearing to prove fair administration, chain of custody and compliance with the approved testing method.
Filkowski v. Dir., N.D. Dep't. of Transp.
,
[¶ 15] Here, the officer testified about his compliance with the Form 104 checklist:
Ms. Huber: What happened to the sample of blood after it was drawn?
Sgt. Braun: I took custody of the blood draw, or of the vial, inverted it several times also, sealed the ... the shipping container with his blood in there.
Ms. Huber: Can you walk me through how you sealed that container?
Sgt. Braun: It was an integrity seal that you have to seal over the blood draw ... over the blood vial, which I took from and sealed over the top of the blood vial, put it in the shipping container. There's another integrity seal that you put over top of the shipping container where I have to initial and date on there.
Ms. Huber: So you received the vial of blood and ... and you indicate where you placed a seal over the vial of blood?
Sgt. Braun: Yes, I did.
Ms. Huber: What happened with the vial of blood after you placed the seal over it?
Sgt. Braun: I then placed it in to the shipping container, the cardboard shipping container that ... where the blood vial goes.
*55 Ms. Huber: Is there a particular method in which you package that?
Sgt. Braun: Well, you have to package it in the ... there's a plastic baggie that you put it in and there's some bubble wrapping that you have to put that in. And then you put it in the container and then seal it up. And then it gets sent to the state lab.
[¶ 16] In
State v. Jordheim
,
[¶ 17] In
Schlosser v. N.D. Dep't. of Transp.
,
[¶ 18] In this case, the officer testified to sealing the blood tube with an integrity seal and indicating where he placed the seal. The officer also testified that he packaged the blood vial as described on Form 104. Other evidence of compliance with Form 104's requirements included the "Submission for Blood," completed by the State Crime Laboratory, which showed a properly labeled blood tube was received in a sealed container. The officer's testimony established he performed Form 104's required steps and showed scrupulous compliance with the approved method.
[¶ 19] While the officer's testimony in this case was adequate to show compliance, the form itself states to "Tear Along the Perforation and Retain Bottom Portion for Your Records." A properly completed Form 104 checklist entered into evidence is prima facie evidence of "[f]air administration, chain of custody, and compliance."
Filkowski v. Dir., N.D. Dep't. of Transp.
,
V
[¶ 20] We affirm the judgment.
[¶ 21] Gerald W. VandeWalle, C.J.
Daniel J. Crothers
Jerod E. Tufte
Lisa Fair McEvers
-I concur in result.
Jon J. Jensen
Reference
- Full Case Name
- Ryan Michael KORB, Appellant v. NORTH DAKOTA DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION, Appellee
- Cited By
- 8 cases
- Status
- Published