### IN THE CO URT OF CR IMINAL APPEALS OF T ENN ESSEE

AT JACKSON

Ass ig ne d o n B rie fs Octo be r 4, 2 01 1

STATE OF TENNESS EE v . DAVID STEVE N AUSTIN

D i r e c t A p p e a l f

r o m t h e C i r c u i t C o u r t f o r F a y e t t e C o u n t y
N o

. 6 2 5 6 J

. W e b e r M c C r a w , J u d g e

N o

. W 2 0 1 1

- 0 0 0 3 1

- C C A

- R 3

- C D

- F i l e d D e c e m b e r 2 7
, 2 0 1 1

T h e d ef en d an t, D av id S tev en A u stin

, w as co n v icted b y a F ay ette C o u n ty C ircu it C o u rt j u ry

o f d riv in g u n d er th e in f

lu en ce, seco n d o f

f en se, an d w as sen ten ced to elev en m o n th s a n d

tw en ty -n in e d ay s, su sp en d ed to p ro b atio n ex cep t f o r f o rty -f iv e d ay s. O n ap p eal, h e arg u es th at th e ev id en c e w as in su f f icien t to su stain h is co n v ictio n

. A f ter rev iew

, w e af

f irm th e j u d g m en t o f

th e trial co u rt.

T e n n

. R

. A p p

. P

. 3 A p p e a l a s o f R i g h t ; J u d g m e n t o f t h e C i r c u i t C o u r t A f f i r m e d

A LA N E

. G LE N N
, J

. , d e l i v e r e d t h e o p i n i o n o f t h e C o u r t

, i n w h i c h J O S E P H M

. T IP T O N
, P

. J

. , a n d

J A M E S C U R W O O D W IT T
, J R

. , J

. , j o i n e d

.

M a t t h e w R

. A r m o u r , S o m e r v i l l e , T e n n e s s e e , f o r t h e a p p e l l a n t

, D a v i d S t e v e n A u s t i n

.

R o b e r t E

. C o o p e r , J r

. , A t t o r n e y G e n e r a l a n d R e p o r t e r ; C l a r e n c e E

. L u t z , A s s i s t a n t A t t o r n e y G e n e r a l ; D

. M i c h a e l D u n a v a n t

, D i s t r i c t A t t o r n e y G e n e r a l ; a n d M a t t H o o p e r , A s s i s t a n t

D i s t r i c t A t t o r n e y G e n e r a l

, f o r t h e a p p e l l e e , S t a t e o f T e n n e s s e e

.

O P I N I O N

F A C T S

T h is case arises o u t o f th e d ef en d an t’s b ein g p u lled o v e r b y p o l i c e o f f icers f o r

su sp ected in to x icatio n w h ile d riv in g a tracto r o n a p u b lic street. A s a resu lt, h e w as in d icted

o n ch arg es o f d riv in g u n d er th e in f lu en ce; d riv in g u n d er th e in f lu en ce, seco n d o f

f en se; d riv in g o n a rev o k ed licen se; an d d riv in g w h ile licen se rev o k ed f o r D U I.S ta te’s P ro o f

A t trial, L isa K n ig h t testif ied th at sh e w as w o rk in g th e 1 1 :0 0 p .m

. to 7 :0 0 a.m

. sh if t

at G u rk in ’s co n v en ien ce sto re in S o m erv ille o n A p ril 1 2

, 2 0 0 9

, w h en th e d ef en d an t cam e in to th e sto re. K n ig h t reco g n ized th e d ef en d an t as h e w a s a r e g u lar cu sto m er, co m in g in

ap p ro x im ately th ree tim es a w eek in th e six m o n th s p r i o r t o th e in cid en t. K n ig h t recalled
th e d ef en d an t’s arriv al to th e sto re th at n ig h t:

I d o n ’t k n o w ex actly w h at tim e it w as b u t h e p u lled u p an d h e w as o n

a tracto r an d I lo o k ed o u t th e w in d o w b ecau se at th at tim e o f th e m o rn in g it j u st k in d o f startled m e. H e g o t o f f th e tracto r an d co m e in th e d o o r a n d
th ere’s a co u n ter in f

ro n t g o in g to w ard s th e reg isters an d h e w as k in d o f
h av in g to h o ld o n to th at as h e w alk ed u p

. . . to th e co u n ter to p u rch ase a p ack

o f cig arettes.

S h e also o b serv ed th at th e d ef en d an t’s sp eech w as slu rred

, an d h e “w as k in d o f stu m b lin g .”

T h e d ef en d an t w as also “f

u m b lin g ” to f

in d th e co rrect am o u n t o f m o n ey to p a y f o r t h e cig arettes.

K n ig h t testif

ied th at, w h en th e d ef

en d an t lef t th e sto re, sh e n o ticed th at h e “w as k in d

o f stu m b lin g ” as h e m o u n ted th e tracto r. K n ig h t d id n o t n o tice an y lig h ts o n th e tracto r an d

w as co n cern ed w ith it b ein g d ark o u tsid e an d also ab o u t “th e w ay th at h e w as actin g ,” so sh e called th e p o lice. S h e h ad n ev er m ad e su ch a p h o n e call co n cern in g a cu sto m er b ef o re. O n th e o th er o ccasio n s th at sh e h ad seen th e d ef en d an t, h e d id n o t stu m

b le, slu r h is sp eech

, h av e

tro u b le w ith h is m o n ey , o r h av e to h o ld h im self u p

.

S erg ean t Ju stin P o w ers testif ied th at h e w as w o rk in g as a p atro lm an w it h th e S o m erv ille P o lice D ep artm en t i n A p ril 2 0 0 9 an d h ad b een “train ed in stan d ard ized f ield

so b riety tests.” O n th e n ig h t o f th e 1 2 th

, S erg ean t P o w ers receiv ed a d isp atch th at a p erso n

w h o w as p o ssib ly in to x icated w as d riv in g to w ard th e co u rth o u se. S o o n af ter, S erg ean t
P o w ers an d h is p artn er, O f f icer R o ck h o ld t, cau g h t sig h t o f th e d ef en d an t. H e o b serv ed th at
th e d ef en d an t w as “h a v in g tro u b le sh if tin g g ears” o n th e tracto r. S erg ean t P o w ers tu rn ed

o n h is em erg en cy

lig h ts an d sto p p ed th e d ef en d an t at 3 :2 3 a.m

.

S erg ean t P o w ers testif

ied th at h e ad m in istered a h o rizo n tal g aze n y stag m u s test o n th e d ef en d an t an d th en called D ep u ty D ale P h i l l i p s o f th e F ay ette C o u n ty S h erif f ’s

D ep artm en t to th e scen e to co n d u ct ad d itio n al f ield so b riety tests. S erg ean t P o w ers reach ed
th e o p in io n th at th e d ef

en d an t “w as ex trem ely in to x icated o n so m e so rt o f in to x ican t” an d

w as “co m

p letely u n f

it to o p e r a t e a m o to r v eh icle in th is state.” S erg ean t P o w ers d id n o t

sm ell alco h o l o n th e d ef en d an t, b u t th e d ef

en d an t in f

o rm ed h im th at h e w as tak in g

-2-p rescrip tio n m ed icatio n

. S erg ean t P o w ers arrested th e d ef en d an t an d read h im th e im p lied

co n sen t f o rm

. T h e d ef

en d an t ag reed to a b lo o d test. B lo o d w as d raw n at th e lo cal h o sp ital

an d sen t to th e T en n essee B u reau o f In v estig atio n (“T B I”) lab f o r testin g

. T w o v id eo tap es f ro m th e traf f ic sto p w ere p lay ed f

o r th e j u ry

.

O n cro ss-ex am in atio n , w h en ask ed w h eth er h e o b s e r v e d an y erratic d riv in g b y th e d ef en d an t b ef

o re p u llin g h im o v er, S erg ean t P o w ers resp o n d ed th at “[ t] h e [ d ef en d an t] w as h av in g tro u b le sh if

tin g g e a r s” an d th at “d id n ’t ap p ear n o rm al” to h im

. H e ack n o w led g ed
th at th e d ef

en d an t resp o n d ed ap p ro p riately to em erg en cy lig h ts an d p u lled o v er to th e sid e

o f th e ro ad w ay

. S erg ean t P o w ers recalled th at, in h is rep o rt, h e n o ted th at th e d ef en d an t h ad
slu rred sp eech an d w as co n f u sed d u rin g q u estio n in g , sp ecif icall y , t h e d ef

en d an t to ld

S erg ean t P o w ers th at “h e w as co m in g f ro m O ld B ro w n sv ille R o a d r a t h e r th an f ro m G u r k i n ’ s

. A n d h e also stated ab o u t h is w if e h av in g a seizu re an d th at h e w as g o in g to
G u rk in ’s to g et h er a p ack o f cig arettes.” S erg ean t P o w ers said th at th e d ef en d an t also
“f u m b l[ ed ] ” w ith h is w al l e t w h e n g ettin g h is id en tif icatio n o u t. T h e d ef

en d an t w as

co o p erativ e th ro u g h o u t th e in v estig atio n

. In resp o n se to q u estio n in g , S erg ean t P o w ers

su rm ised th at so m eth in g o th er th an an in to x ican t, p erh ap s a m ed ical co n d iti o n , c o u ld

p o ssib ly cau se so m eo n e to act th e w ay th e d ef en d an t acted

.

O n red irect, S erg ean t P o w ers recalled h is p rio r in teractio n s w ith th e d ef en d an t. H e

n o ted th at th e d ef

en d an t h ad “a n atu ral lim p b u t it w asn ’t n o w h ere n ear as ex trem e as” h e

ex h ib ited th e n ig h t h e w as arrested

. M o reo v er, th e d ef en d an t’s sp eech w as “m o re clear an d

co n cise” th an ex h ib ited th at n ig h t.

D r. T o n y a H o rto n , a f

o ren sic scien tist in th e to x ico lo g y sectio n o f th e T B I C rim e L ab
in M em p h is, tes t i f

i e d th at sh e an aly

zed th e b lo o d sam

p le co llected f

ro m th e d ef

en d an t o n A p ril 1 2

, 2 0 0 9 at 5 :3 0 a.m

. T h e sam p le co n tain ed th erap eu tic am o u n ts o f C ariso p ro d o l, also
k n o w n as S o m a, an d its b reak d o w n p ro d u ct o f M ep ro b am ate. T h e sam p le also co n tain ed

trace a mo u n ts o f D ih y d ro co d ein o n e, also k n o w n as L o rtab

, a p ain m ed icatio n

. S h e

ex p lain ed th at S o m a is a m u scle relax an t an d

, w h en it is m e t a b o l i z e d

, M ep ro b am ate is
f o rm ed an d “is m o re o f a sed ativ e” th at “ r e m ain s in th e b o d y lo n g er.” S h e said th at th e

co m b in atio n o f D ih y d ro co d ein o n e an d C ariso p ro d o l “can h av e en h an ced an d a d d itiv e ef f ect.” D r. H o rto n stated th at th e d ru g s in th e lev els f o u n d in th e d ef

en d an t’s sam

p le co u ld

cau se an in d iv id u al to b e im p aired

. In f

act, sh e n o ted th at th e lab els co n tain a w arn in g th at
th e m ed icatio n s can im

p air a p erso n ’s ab ility to o p erate a m o to r v eh icle o r h eav y m ach in ery

. T h ere w as n o alco h o l p resen t in th e d ef en d an t’s b lo o d

. O n cro ss-ex am in atio n , D r. H o rto n ad m itted th at th e m ed icatio n s co n tain ed w arn in g s ab o u t p o ssib le i mp a i rm en t b u t d id n o t
in clu d e a b an o n d riv in g

.

-3-D ep u ty D ale P h illip s w ith th e F ay ette C o u n ty S h erif f ’s D ep artm en t testif

ied th at h e

w as ask ed to resp o n d to a scen e in v o lv in g th e d ef en d an t o n A p ril 1 2

, 2 0 0 9

. D ep u ty P h illip s said th at h e h ad d ealt w ith th e d ef en d an t six o r sev en tim es p rio r to th at n ig h t, an d th e d ef en d an t “w asn ’t talk in g rig h t,

. . . seem ed to b e co n f u sed . . . . [ H e] co u ld n ’t u n d erstan d

w h at [ th e d ef

en d an t] w as say in g

. [ H e h ad ] n ev er seen [ th e d ef en d an t] act lik e th at b ef

o re.”

D ep u ty P h illip s co n d u cted f ie ld so b riety tests o n th e d ef en d an t b u t, o b serv in g th at th e d ef en d an t “h ad n o b alan ce at all,” d eterm in ed th at it w o u ld b e u n saf e to d o an y ty

p e o f test

req u irin g p h y sical b alan ce su ch as a o n e

- leg stan d an d n in e h eel-to -to e step

. In stead

, h e ad m in istered a “ M o d if

ied R o m b erg ” test, f

o r w h ich h e in stru cted th e d ef en d an t to tilt h is
h ead b ack slig h tly

, k eep h is arm s d o w n to h is sid e, clo se h is ey es an d co u n t to th irty

. D ep u ty
P h illip s h ad to sto p th e d ef en d an t ap p ro x im ately f

iv e seco n d s in to th e test b ecau se “[ h ] e w as

sw ay in g b ack an d f

o rth [ an d ] g o in g b ack w ard s,” an d h e th o u g h t th e d ef en d an t w as g o in g

to f all o v er.

D ep u ty P h illip s testif

ied th at th e d ef

en d an t’s ey es w ere “w atery ” an d “g lassy ,” an d
h e h ad “slu rred

, slo w sp eech .” T h e d ef en d an t also “h ad n o b a l a n ce, n o m ech an ical sk ills

at all[ .] ” A lth o u g h th e d ef en d an t’s b reath h ad a f

ain t sw eet sm ell, D ep u ty P h illip s co u ld n o t

p lace th e aro m a as th at o f alco h o l. D ep u ty P h illip s reach ed th e co n clu sio n th at th e d ef en d an t

w as “ex trem ely in eb riated

. . . [ an d ] sh o u ld n o t h av e b een o p eratin g an y th in g at all, p erio d .”

T h e v id eo f

ro m D ep u ty P h illip s’ p atro l car w as p lay ed f o r th e j u ry

.

O n cro ss-ex am in atio n , D ep u ty P h illip s recalled th at th e d ef en d an t to ld h im th at h is

w if e h ad h ad a seizu re. T h e d ef en d an t also to ld h im th at h e w as d eaf in h is lef t ear. D ep u ty
P h illip s ack n o w led g ed th at d eaf n ess can af

f ect a p erso n ’s eq u ili b r i u m, as relev an t in th e

p erf o rm an ce o f certain f

ield so b riety tests. H e ack n o w led g ed th at th e d ef en d an t w as ab le

to recite th e alp h ab et. T h e d ef en d an t in f

o rm ed D ep u ty P h illip s ab o u t h is in v o lv em en t in a

recen t accid en t in w h ich h e w as in a v eh icle th at stru ck a co w . H o w ev er, D ep u ty P h illip s d id n o t see an y

ev id en ce o f

h ead trau m a in th e d ef

en d an t’s ey es.

D ef en d a n t’s P ro o f

T h e d ef en d an t testif

ied th at, at th e tim e o f th e in cid en t, h e h ad p rescrip tio n s f o r th ree d if f eren t m ed icatio n s. H e ex p lain ed h is m ed ical h isto ry , in clu d in g h is recen t in v o lv em en t
in a car accid en t in w h ich a co w w as h it. A lso

, in 1 9 9 1

, h e w as in v o lv ed in a co llisio n w ith

a sem i-tru ck in w h ich h e su f f ered serio u s in

j u ries. T h e lastin g ef

f ects o f th o se in

j u ries w ere d if f icu lty w ith b alan ce an d tro u b le w ith h is rig h t k n ee.

T h e d ef en d an t recalled th e ev en ts o f A p r i l 1 2

, 2 0 0 9

. H e said th at h is w if e

ex p erien ced an ep ilep tic s e i z u r e an d f ix ated o n th e last cig arette in h is p ack

, w h ich w as

n o rm al p o st-seizu re b eh av io r. H e d ro v e h is tracto r to th e sto re to b u y m o re cig arettes an d

-4-w as o n h is w ay h o m e w h en h e w as p u lled o v er. H e d escri b e d h is m en tal state as

“[ e] x trem ely n erv o u s, w an tin g to g et h o m e to [ h is] w if e” w h en th e o f

f icers p u lled h im o v er. H e said th at h e h ad n o p ro b lem d riv in g th e tracto r th at n ig h t an d n o ted th at h is h ead lig h ts

w ere o n

. H e d en ied h av in g tak en an y an ti-an x iety m ed icatio n

. H e said t h a t t h e f ield

so b riety tests w ere tests th at h e w o u ld n ev er b e ab le to p erf o rm g iv en h is p h y sical co n d itio n

.

T in a A u stin , th e d ef

en d an t’s w if

e, testif ied th at sh e w as w ith th e d ef en d an t th e d ay b ef o re th e in cid en t an d th at h e h ad tak en h is m ed icatio n s sev eral h o u rs b ef o re leav in g th e h o u se to p u rch ase cig arettes f o r h er.

F o llo w in g th e co n clu sio n o f th e p ro o f

, th e d ef en d an t w as co n v icted o f d riv in g u n d er th e in f lu en ce. H e w aiv ed j u ry

d eterm in atio n o f

seco n d o f

f en se statu s.

A N A L Y S IS

O n a p p e a l

, t h e d e f

e n d a n t c h a l l e n g e s t h e s u f f i c i e n c y o f t h e c o n v i c t i n g e v i d e n c e ,

a r g u i n g t h a t t h e S t a t e f a i l e d t o p r o v e t h a t h e w a s i m p a i r e d

. H e a l s o s e e m i n g l y s u g g e s t s ,

w i t h o u t a n y s u p p o r t o r a t t e n d a n t a r g u m e n t

, t h a t a t r a c t o r d o e s n o t m e e t t h e d e f i n i t i o n o f a

m o t o r v e h i c l e f

o r p u r p o s e s o f t h e D U I s t a t u t e

. W h e n t h e s u f f i c i e n c y o f t h e c o n v i c t i n g

e v i d e n c e i s c h a l l e n g e d

, t h e r e l e v a n t q u e s t i o n o f t h e r e v i e w i n g c o u r t i s “ w h e t h e r , a f t e r

v i e w i n g t h e e v i d e n c e i n t h e l i g h t m o s t f a v o r a b l e t o t h e p r o s e c u t i o n , a n y r a t i o n a l t r i e r o f f a c t

c o u l d h a v e f

o u n d t h e e s s e n t i a l e l e m e n t s o f t h e c r i m e b e y o n d a r e a s o n a b l e d o u b t

. ” J a c k s o n

v

. V i r g i n i a , 4 4 3 U

. S

. 3 0 7

, 3 1 9 ( 1 9 7 9 ) ; s e e a l s o T e n n

. R

. A p p

. P

. 1 3 ( e ) ( “ F i n d i n g s o f g u i l t i n

c r i m i n a l a c t i o n s w h e t h e r b y t h e t r i a l c o u r t o r j u r y s h a l l b e s e t a s i d e i f t h e e v i d e n c e i s i n s u f f i c i e n t t o s u p p o r t t h e f

i n d i n g s b y t h e t r i e r o f f

a c t o f g u i l t b e y o n d a r e a s o n a b l e d o u b t

. ” ) ;
S t a t e v

. E v a n s , 8 3 8 S

. W

. 2 d 1 8 5

, 1 9 0

- 9 2 ( T e n n

. 1 9 9 2 ) ; S t a t e v

. A n d e r s o n , 8 3 5 S

. W

. 2 d 6 0 0

, 6 0 4 ( T e n n

. C r i m

. A p p

. 1 9 9 2 )

.

A l l q u e s t i o n s i n v o l v i n g t h e c r e d i b i l i t y o f w i t n e s s e s , t h e w e i g h t a n d v a l u e t o b e g i v e n

t h e e v i d e n c e , a n d a l l f

a c t u a l i s s u e s a r e r e s o l v e d b y t h e t r i e r o f f a c t

. S e e S t a t e v

. P a p p a s , 7 5 4

S

. W

. 2 d 6 2 0

, 6 2 3 ( T e n n

. C r i m

. A p p

. 1 9 8 7 )

. “ A g u i l t y v e r d i c t b y t h e j u r y , a p p r o v e d b y t h e

t r i a l j u d g e , a c c r e d i t s t h e t e s t i m o n y o f t h e w i t n e s s e s f o r t h e S t a t e a n d r e s o l v e s a l l c o n f l i c t s i n f a v o r o f t h e t h e o r y o f t h e S t a t e

. ” S t a t e v

. G r a c e , 4 9 3 S

. W

. 2 d 4 7 4

, 4 7 6 ( T e n n

. 1 9 7 3 )

. O u r

s u p r e m e c o u r t s t a t e d t h e r a t i o n a l e f o r t h i s r u l e :

T h i s w e l l

- s e t t l e d r u l e r e s t s o n a s o u n d f o u n d a t i o n

. T h e t r i a l j u d g e a n d

t h e j u r y s e e t h e w i t n e s s e s f a c e t o f a c e , h e a r t h e i r t e s t i m o n y a n d o b s e r v e t h e i r d e m e a n o r o n t h e s t a n d

. T h u s t h e t r i a l j u d g e a n d j u r y a r e t h e p r i m a r y i n s t r u m e n t a l i t y o f j u s t i c e t o d e t e r m i n e t h e w e i g h t a n d c r e d i b i l i t y t o b e g i v e n

t o t h e t e s t i m o n y o f w i t n e s s e s

. I n t h e t r i a l f o r u m a l o n e i s t h e r e h u m a n

-5-a t m o s p h e r e a n d t h e t o t a l i t y o f t h e e v i d e n c e c a n n o t b e r e p r o d u c e d w i t h a

w r i t t e n r e c o r d i n t h i s C o u r t

.

B o l i n v

. S t a t e , 2 1 9 T e n n

. 4

, 1 1

, 4 0 5 S

. W

. 2 d 7 6 8

, 7 7 1 ( 1 9 6 6 ) ( c i t i n g C a r r o l l v

. S t a t e , 2 1 2

T e n n

. 4 6 4

, 3 7 0 S

. W

. 2 d 5 2 3 ( 1 9 6 3 ) )

.

“ A j u r y c o n v i c t i o n r e m o v e s t h e p r e s u m p t i o n o f i n n o c e n c e w i t h w h i c h a d e f e n d a n t i s i n i t i a l l y c l o a k e d a n d r e p l a c e s i t w i t h o n e o f g u i l t

, s o t h a t o n a p p e a l a c o n v i c t e d d e f e n d a n t h a s

t h e b u r d e n o f d e m o n s t r a t i n g t h a t t h e e v i d e n c e i s i n s u f f i c i e n t

. ” S t a t e v

. T u g g l e , 6 3 9 S

. W

. 2 d

9 1 3

, 9 1 4 ( T e n n

. 1 9 8 2 )

.

T en n essee C o d e A n n o tated sectio n 5 5 -1 0 -4 0 1 (a)(1 ) p ro v id es, “It is u n law f u l f o r an y

p erso n to d riv e

. . . an y au to m o b ile o r o th er m o to r d riv en v eh icle o n an y o f th e p u b lic ro ad s

an d h ig h w ay s o f th e state,

. . . w h ile [ u ] n d er th e in f l u e n c e o f an y in to x ican t, m arij u an a,

n arco tic d ru g , o r d ru g p ro d u cin g stim u latin g ef f ects o n th e cen tral n erv o u s sy stem [ .] ” It is

n o d ef en se to a ch arg e o f d riv in g u n d er th e in f lu en ce th at th e o f

f en d er is a law f

u l u ser o f th e d ru g s. Id . § 5 5 -1 0 -4 0 2

.

In th e lig h t m o st f

av o rab le to th e S tate, th e ev id en ce sh o w s th at th e d ef en d an t arriv ed

a t a g as statio n co n v en ien ce sto re aro u n d 3 :0 0 a.m

. d riv in g a tracto r. T h e sto re c l e r k

o b serv ed th e d ef

en d an t stu m

b lin g , slu rrin g h is sp eech

, an d f u m b lin g w ith h is m o n ey

. Wh en

t h e d e f en d an t lef

t th e sto re, th e clerk n o ticed th at th ere w ere n o lig h ts o n th e trac t o r a n d

,

co n cern ed w ith it b ein g d ark o u tsid e an d ab o u t “th e w ay th at [ th e d ef

en d an t] w as actin g ,”
sh e called th e p o lice. O f

f icers cau g h t sig h t o f th e d ef en d an t an d n o ticed th at h e w as “h av in g

tro u b le sh if

ti n g g e a r s” o n th e tracto r. U p o n sto p p in g th e d ef en d an t an d co n d u ctin g f

ield

so b riety tests, th e o f

f icers co n clu d ed th at th e d ef en d an t “w as ex trem ely in to x icated o n so m e

so rt o f in to x ican t” an d w as “co m p letely u n f

it to o p erate a m o to r v eh icle in th is state.” T h e

o f f icers n o ted th at th e d ef

en d a n t s lu rred h is sp eech

, w as co n f u sed d u rin g q u estio n in g , f u m b led w ith h is w allet w h en g ettin g h is i d e n t i f icatio n o u t, an d h ad n o b alan ce. T h e

o f f icers w h o b o th h ad p rev io u s en co u n ters w ith th e d ef en d an t, as w ell as th e sto re clerk w h o h ad in teracted w ith th e d ef en d an t th ree tim es a w eek o v er th e p rev io u s six m o n th s, recalled
th at th e d ef

en d an t acted d istin ctly

d if f eren t th an o n p rev io u s o ccasio n s.

In ad d itio n , a sam

p le o f th e d ef

en d an t’s b lo o d w as tak en th at rev ealed th e p resen ce

o f a m u scle relax an t an d p ain m ed icatio n in th erap eu tic lev els. A lth o u g h a l l o f th e d ru g s tested w ith in th e th erap eu tic lev els, D r. H o r t o n testif ied th at th e lev els f

o u n d in th e d ef en d an t’s sam

p le co u ld cau se an in d iv id u al to b e im p aired an d th at th e m ed icatio n lab els

w arn ed ag ain st o p eratin g m o to r v eh icles o r h eav y m ach in ery

. “‘T h is C o u rt h as p rev io u sly
f o u n d su f f icien t ev id en ce to su stain D U I co n v ic t i o n s b ased o n a d ef en d an t’s b eh av io r,

p rescrip tio n m ed icatio n s f o u n d in th e d ef

en d an t’s sy stem s, an d ex p ert testim o n y .’” S tate v

.

-6-E v ely

n C o tt o n S e l f

, N o

. M 2 0 0 9 -0 0 3 4 3 -C C A -R 3 -C D

, 2 0 1 0 WL 4 5 4 0 2 3 5

, at * 5 (T en n

. C rim . A p p . N o v . 9 , 2 0 1 0 ), p erm

. to ap p eal d en ied (T en n

. A p r. 2 5

, 2 0 1 1 ) (q u o tin g S tate v

. H o llen a A rlen e West

, N o

. M 2 0 0 8 -0 2 2 0 0 -C C A -R 3 -C D

, 2 0 1 0 WL 2 7 8 7 8 2 7

, at * 4 (T en n

. C rim

. A p p

. Ju ly 1 3

, 2 0 1 0 ) (q u o tin g S tate v

. D o n n a B eatrice K iser, N o

. E 2 0 0 5 -0 2 4 8 9 -C C A

R 3 -C D

, 2 0 0 6 WL 2 0 7 6 3 4 1

, at * 6 (T en n

. C rim

. A p p

. Ju ly 2 7

, 2 0 0 6 ) (citin g S tate v

. A lb ert
L

. N o rto n , N o

. 0 3 C 0 1 -9 7 0 7 -C R -0 0 2 7 0

, 1 9 9 9 WL 5 0 8 6 5 4

, at * 1 -5 (T en n

. C rim

. A p p

. Ju ly

2 0

, 1 9 9 9 ) (co n clu d in g th at th ere w as su f f icien t ev id en ce to su stain th e d e f en d an t’s D U I

co n v ictio n w h ere th ere w as th e p resen ce o f t h r e e ty p es o f p ain m ed icatio n , an in ab ility to

p erf o rm f ield so b riety tests, an d ex p er t testim o n y reg ard in g th e p o ssib le ef f ects o f th e

m ed icatio n )).

It w as th e p rero g ativ e o f th e j u ry to d iscred it th e d ef en d an t’s ex p lan atio n f

o r th e lack

o f ab ility to b alan ce an d m o to r sk ills h e d isp lay ed th e m o rn in g o f th e in cid en t an d accred it
th e testim o n y o f th e w itn esses w h o testif ied th at th e d ef

en d an t’s f u n ctio n in g w as d if

f eren t
th an n o rm al. We co n clu d e th at th e ev id en ce is su f f icien t to su p p o rt th e d ef en d an t’s

co n v ictio n f

o r d riv in g a m o to r d riv en v eh icle o n a p u b lic ro a dwa y w h ile u n d er th e in f

lu en ce.

C O N C L U S IO N

B ased o n th e f

o reg o in g au th o rities an d reaso n in g , w e af f irm th e j u d g m en t o f th e trial

co u rt.

_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ A L A N E

. G L E N N

, J U D G E

-7-