State v. Cook, 07 Ca 39 (11-29-2007)
State v. Cook, 07 Ca 39 (11-29-2007)
Opinion of the Court
{¶ 2} On October 14, 2005, Appellee Cook, while operating a company work truck, was clocked by Trooper Brain Jones of the Ohio State Highway Patrol as going seventy-seven miles per hour in a fifty-five miles per hour zone. The trooper pulled appellee over, approached the vehicle, and obtained appellee's license information. Appellee was left to sit in the vehicle while Trooper Jones went to his cruiser to run a LEADS report, which at that time showed that appellee's Florida driver's license was under suspension.
{¶ 3} Upon further investigation by Trooper Jones, including field sobriety tests, appellee was arrested and cited for operating a vehicle while under the influence of drugs (OVI) in violation of R.C.
{¶ 4} On December 15, 2005, appellee filed a motion to "dismiss the traffic citation/suppress/in limine all evidence", a motion consisting of seven "branches." Branch I sought to dismiss the traffic citation and suppress all evidence, arguing that the appellee was stopped unlawfully and further detained without a reasonable *Page 3
articulable suspicion of wrongdoing. Branch II sought to suppress any statements made by the appellee, arguing that appellee was not advised of his Miranda rights in a timely manner. Branch III sought to suppress all drug evidence obtained from appellee's vehicle, arguing that no search warrant was obtained and no applicable exceptions were present. Branch IV sought to exclude appellee's urine test results. Branch V sought a declaration by the court that R.C.
{¶ 5} The trial court conducted a hearing on appellee's motion on March 29, 2006. At the conclusion of the hearing the trial court found that no probable cause existed with regard to the OVI charge. The court stated that the State could proceed with count B (driving under suspension) and count C (speeding). Tr. at 130. On March 30, 2006, the trial court issued a one page journal entry in which it sustained branches I and VI, overruled branches II, III and V, and declared branches IV and VII moot.
{¶ 6} The State thereupon appealed the trial court's decision, setting forth three assignments of error. On appeal, this Court reversed in part and affirmed in part in a decision filed on February 12, 2007. We concluded, inter alia, that the trooper's testimony that he smelled an odor of burnt marijuana established a reasonable, articulable suspicion such that the trooper could conduct field sobriety tests. See State v.Cook, Fairfield App. No. 06-CA-20,
{¶ 7} On March 7, 2007, prior to any action being taken by the trial court upon remand, appellee filed a motion to dismiss the charges of driving under suspension and speeding by reason of a speedy trial violation. On May 30, 2007, the trial court issued a judgment entry denying appellee's speedy trial motion. Said judgment entry included the following language:
{¶ 8} "This cause came before the Court on the Motion of Defendant, William H. Cook, to dismiss the case by reason of a denial of speedy trial as provided by Section
{¶ 9} On June 8, 2007, the State of Ohio filed a notice of appeal. It herein raises the following sole Assignment of Error:
{¶ 10} "I. THE TRIAL COURT ERRED IN SUSTAINING DEFENDANT'S MOTION TO SUPPRESS EVIDENCE AS TO THE DRUG PARAPHERNALIA AND POSSESSION OF MARIJUANA CHARGES.
{¶ 11} Additionally, on June 19, 2007, Appellee Cook filed a notice of cross-appeal. He herein raises the following sole Assignment of Error on cross-appeal:
{¶ 12} "I. DID THE TRIAL COURT COMMIT PREJUDICIAL ERROR WHEN IT FAILED TO DISMISS DUS AND SPEED FOR VIOLATION OF SPEEDY TRIAL?
{¶ 14} Accordingly, the State's sole Assignment of Error is overruled.
{¶ 16} We therefore lack jurisdiction to address appellee's Assignment of Error on cross-appeal. *Page 7
{¶ 17} For the reasons stated in the foregoing opinion, the judgment of the Fairfield County Municipal Court, Fairfield County, Ohio, is hereby affirmed, and appellee's cross-appeal is dismissed as premature.
*Page 8Wise, J. Gwin, P. J., and Hoffman, J., concur.
*Page 1Costs assessed to Appellant State of Ohio.
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