City of Cleveland v. Churchill, Unpublished Decision (8-17-2000)
City of Cleveland v. Churchill, Unpublished Decision (8-17-2000)
Opinion of the Court
On February 22, 1999, defendant was issued citations for driving while under the influence of alcohol, driving with a prohibited breath-alcohol content, not stopping at a red light, not having rear plate illumination, operating his vehicle without headlights, and not wearing a seatbelt. Defendant entered not guilty pleas to the charges.
On April 21, 1999, defendant filed a motion to suppress in which he asserted, inter alia, that the police lacked probable cause to stop him and that the police did not meet the statutory and administrative requirements for obtaining the breath-alcohol sample. On June 11, 1999, defendant filed a supplemental motion in which he asserted that the breath-alcohol sample had to be suppressed since the police did not keep the maintenance and repair records for the machine in accordance with the requirements of Ohio Adm. Code
Defendant's assignment of error states:
THE TRIAL COURT ERRED TO THE PREJUDICE OF APPELLANT BY DENYING APPELLANT'S MOTION TO SUPPRESS EVIDENCE.
Within this assignment of error, defendant asserts that the trial court erred in denying his motion to suppress the breath alcohol test because discovery documents demonstrated that the police did not maintain the repair and maintenance records.
R.C.
Ohio Adm. Code
(A) Tests to determine the concentration of alcohol may be applied to blood, urine, breath, or other bodily substances. Results shall be expressed as equivalent to:
* * *
(2) Grams by weight of alcohol per two hundred ten liters of deep lung breath;
* * *
The results of the tests shall be retained for not less than three years.
Ohio Adm. Code
Results of instrument checks, and records of maintenance and repairs shall be retained in accordance with paragraph (A) of rule
3701-53-01 of the Administrative Code.
See, also, State v. Wemer (1996),
Substantial compliance with the Ohio Department of Health Regulations pertaining to alcohol testing is sufficient. Defiancev. Kretz (1991),
In State v. Love (April 26, 1996), Ottawa App. No. OT-95-042, unreported, the Court stated:
appellant failed to provide a transcript of the hearing on the motion to suppress. It is appellant's duty to provide a transcript. Knapp v. Edwards Laboratories (1980),
61 Ohio St.2d 197 ,199 . Thus, this court is unable to determine whether the state substantially complied with Ohio Adm. Code3701-53-02 (C). The Ohio Supreme Court has stated:"When portions of the transcript necessary for resolution of assigned errors are omitted from the record, the reviewing court has nothing to pass upon and thus, as to those assigned errors, the court has no choice but to presume the validity of the lower court's proceedings, and affirm." Knapp,
61 Ohio St.2d at 199 .Therefore, this court will presume the validity of the trial court's actions.
Accord State v. Gelofsack (March 4, 1994), Ashtabula App. No. 93-A-1805; State v. Schwaiger (June 28, 1991), Portage App. No. 90-P-2227, unreported.
In this instance, defendant asserts that substantial compliance was not demonstrated at the hearing held on this matter on June 2, 1999. We note, however, that defendant has not provided us with a transcript of this hearing. We therefore must presume the validity of the lower court's proceedings, and affirm. Knappv. Edwards Laboratories, supra.
It is ordered that appellee recover of appellant its costs herein taxed.
The Court finds there were reasonable grounds for this appeal.
It is ordered that a special mandate issue out of this Court directing the Cleveland Municipal Court to carry this judgment into execution.
A certified copy of this entry shall constitute the mandate pursuant to Rule 27 of the Rules of Appellate Procedure.
SPELLACY, J., AND SWEENEY, J., CONCUR.
_______________________________ ANN DYKE, ADMINISTRATIVE JUDGE
Case-law data current through December 31, 2025. Source: CourtListener bulk data.