Case Title: State v. Vezina

Citation: 177 Vt. 488, 2004 VT 62, 857 A.2d 313

Docket Number: 2002-472

State: vermont

Court: Vermont Supreme Court

Date: 2004-07-01T00:00:00Z

Document:
State v. Vezina (2002-472); 177 Vt. 488; 857 A.2d 313

2004 VT 62

[Filed 01-Jul-2004]

                                 ENTRY ORDER

                                 2004 VT 62

                      SUPREME COURT DOCKET NO. 2002-472

                             JANUARY TERM, 2004

  State of Vermont	               }	APPEALED FROM:
                                       }
                                       }
       v.	                       }	District Court of Vermont, 
                                       }	Unit No. 3, Orleans Circuit
                                       }	
  Douglas Vezina	               }
                                       }	DOCKET NO. 291-5-02OsCr

                                                Trial Judge: Walter M. Morris

             In the above-entitled cause, the Clerk will enter:

       ¶  1.  Defendant Douglas Vezina appeals from the trial court's
  denial of his Motion to Exclude Breath Test Evidence.  Defendant argues
  that his right to a second breath test under 23 V.S.A. § 1202(d)(5) was
  violated when the arresting officer did not make an attempt to provide an
  alternative test after the testing instrument's failure to analyze the
  second breath sample, and that this failure  warrants suppression of the
  first test's results.  We affirm.

       ¶  2.  On April 22, 2002, a Newport Police officer found defendant
  sitting in his parked vehicle on an exit ramp of interstate 91.  After a
  field sobriety test, defendant was transported to the Newport Police
  Department, where he was requested to provide an evidentiary breath sample. 
  Defendant's breath sample was collected by a DataMaster Breath Testing
  Instrument, which reported a BAC of .118%.  Defendant then requested a
  second test as 23 V.S.A. § 1202(d)(5) permits. [FN1]  The officer attempted
  to perform the second test, but the DataMaster returned a reading
  indicating "out of range."  This message appears when there is an anomaly
  with the alcohol-water solution contained in the DataMaster's simulator and
  the testing sequence cannot be run. [FN2]  After the failure of the
  DataMaster, the arresting officer did not attempt to locate another
  instrument to conduct a second test.  The officer, however, advised
  defendant of his right to obtain an independent test at his own expense,
  [FN3] which defendant declined.  

       ¶  3.  Defendant filed a motion to suppress the first test result,
  arguing that suppression is the proper remedy for a violation of
  defendant's statutory right to a second State-administered test.  The trial
  court denied the motion, reasoning that while the statute provides for a
  right to a second test, it does not address the consequence of police
  inability to conduct the test because the instrument itself is indicating
  that it cannot run a second sequence.  The court noted that, unlike the
  denial of the statutory right to counsel in DUI processing, the
  circumstances resulting in the officer's inability to provide the second
  test do not rise to the level of a violation of implied consent rights that
  would warrant suppression.  The court further emphasized that there is no
  claim of bad faith on the part of the officer, and that defendant was
  properly advised of his right to seek independent testing.  After the trial
  court denied his motion, defendant entered a conditional plea agreement
  pursuant to V.R.Cr.P. 11(a)(2), pleading nolo contendere.  This appeal
  followed.

       ¶  4.  Defendant argues that the court erred in admitting the first
  breath test because the police failure to procure or attempt to procure an
  alternative second breath test after the DataMaster's "out of range"
  reading constitutes a violation of 23 V.S.A. § 1202(d)(5) that warrants
  suppression.  Defendant bases his argument on our holding in State v.
  Guidera, 167 Vt. 598,