State v. Kirk, Unpublished Decision (6-14-2004)
State v. Kirk, Unpublished Decision (6-14-2004)
Opinion of the Court
{¶ 3} Trooper Streicher next administered a Horizontal Gaze Nystagmus test (HGN), a walk and turn test and one-leg stand test to Appellant. Appellant did not raise his foot six inches as requested for the one leg stand test (T. at 10) and three clues were present on the walk and turn test. (T. at 11). All six clues were found with regard to the HGN test. (T. at 9). After these tests, appellant administered a portable breath test.
{¶ 4} These events were captured on video by Trooper Streicher.
{¶ 5} Appellant was arrested and charged with a OMVI, in violation of R.C. §
{¶ 6} Appellant was placed under an Administrative License Suspension at the time of his arrest.
{¶ 7} Appellant filed an appeal to the Administrative License Suspension and a Motion to Suppress Evidence.
{¶ 8} The two matters were heard together at an oral hearing on October 22, 2003. At said hearing, Trooper Streicher testified and the video from that evening was played. During the video, Trooper Streicher is heard to say to Appellant that his performance on the one-leg stand test and the walk and turn test was decent.
{¶ 9} At the conclusion of the hearing, the trial court held that the HGN test was not administered in compliance with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration Manual and granted Appellant's motion to suppress as to such test. In all other respects, Appellant's motion to suppress was overruled.
{¶ 10} Appellant thereafter, on November 25, 2003, changed his former plea and entered a no-contest plea to the R.C. §
{¶ 11} Appellant now appeals his conviction and the denial of his Administrative License Suspension, assigning the following errors for review:
{¶ 13} "II. The trial court erred in finding that there was reasonable grounds to arrest the defendant for omvi and in denying appellant's administrative license suspension appeal."
{¶ 15} There are three methods of challenging on appeal a trial court's ruling on a motion to suppress. First, an appellant may challenge the trial court's findings of fact. In reviewing a challenge of this nature, an appellate court must determine whether said findings of fact are against the manifest weight of the evidence. See: State v. Fanning
(1982),
{¶ 16} Appellant argues that because the trial court rejected the HGN test as not being strictly performed in accordance with State v. Homan
(2000),
{¶ 17} In support of his argument Appellant cites us to Trooper Streicher's testimony at the suppression hearing wherein, Trooper Streicher, upon being asked on cross-examination "[h]ad you not had the horizontal gaze nystagmus results, would you have arrested Mr. Kirk?" replied "[i] can't answer that. I'm not there again tonight so I can't answer that now." (T. at 18-19).
{¶ 18} We have previously recited that a police officer does not have to observe poor driving performance in order to effect an arrest for driving under the influence of alcohol if all the facts and circumstances lead to the conclusion that the driver was impaired. See, e.g., State v.Harrop (July 2, 2001), Muskingum App. No. CT2000-0026, 2001 WL 815538, citing Atwell v. State (1973),
{¶ 19} An officer has probable cause for an arrest if the facts and circumstances within his knowledge are sufficient to cause a reasonably prudent person to believe that the defendant has committed the offense. e.g. State v. Heston (1972),
{¶ 20} The legal standard for determining whether the police had probable cause to arrest an individual for DUI is whether, "at the moment of arrest, the police had sufficient information, derived from a reasonably trustworthy source of facts and circumstances, sufficient to cause a prudent person to believe that the suspect was driving under the influence." Homan, supra, at 427,
{¶ 21} Furthermore, when evaluating probable cause to arrest for DUI, "[t]he totality of the facts and circumstances can support a finding of probable cause to arrest even where no field sobriety tests were administered". Homan, supra,
{¶ 22} As stated above, upon approaching appellant, the trooper noticed a strong odor of alcohol and that Appellant had bloodshot, glassy eyes (T. at 6). Appellant also admitted to having consumed four beers. (T. at 7).
{¶ 23} We find, under the circumstances presented, that Trooper Streicher had sufficient operable facts to substantiate the arrest for driving under the influence.
{¶ 24} Appellant's first Assignment of Error is overruled.
{¶ 26} As stated by Appellant in his brief, "the issue of whether reasonable grounds to believe a person has operated under the influence of alcohol and/or drugs is analogous to the issue of probable cause to justify an arrest." Stockhauser v. Bureau of Motor Vehicles (May 21, 1990) Montgomery County App. No. 11781.
{¶ 27} Based on our disposition of the first assignment of error, we find that the trial court did not err in finding that Trooper Streicher had reasonable grounds support the arrest for OMVI.
{¶ 28} Appellant's second assignment of error is overruled.
{¶ 29} The decision of the Mount Vernon Municipal Court is affirmed.
Boggins, J., Gwin, P.J. and Edwards, J. concur.
For the reasons stated in our accompanying Memorandum-Opinion on file, the judgment of the Mount Vernon Municipal Court, Knox County, Ohio, is affirmed. Costs assessed to appellant.
Reference
- Full Case Name
- State of Ohio v. Paul M. Kirk
- Cited By
- 1 case
- Status
- Unpublished