THI RD DI VI SI ON

ELLI NGTON, P. J.

, A NDREWS and RI CKM A N, JJ.

N O T IC E : M otions for r e c ons i de r a tion m us t be

ph y sic a l ly r e ce iv ed i n our c le r k ’s offic e w ithin te n

da y s of the da te of de c is ion to be de e m ed tim e ly file d.

http://w w w .ga a ppe a l s .us /r ule s

A u gust 9, 2017



# I n th e Co u r t o f

A p p eals o f

G eo r g ia

A1 7 A1 19 8 . SZOPINSKI v . THE STATE.

E LLI N G T O N , Pres i d i n g J ud g e.

A Fo rs y t h Co u n t y ju ry fo u n d N an cy S z o p i n s k i g u il t y o f d ri v in g u n d er t h e

i n fl u en ce o f al co h o l to t h e ex t en t t h at s h e was a l es s s afe d ri v er, OCGA § 4 0 -6 -3 9 1

(a) (1 ); an d fai lu re to m ai n t ai n h er l an e o f t rav el

, OCGA § 4 0 -6 -4 8 (1 ). Sh e ap p eal s

fro m t h e d en i al o f h er m o ti o n fo r a n ew t ri al

, co n t en d i n g t hat t h e t ri al co u rt erred i n

ad m i t t i ng ev i d en ce o f her refu s al t o t ak e a ch em ical t es t m eas u ri n g her b l o o d al co h ol

l ev el an d i n al l o wi n g t h e St at e t o co m m en t o n her “ fai l u re t o co m e fo rward ” wi th

ev i d en ce. Fi n d i n g n o rev ers i bl e erro r, we affi rm

.Vi ewed i n th e li g h t m o s t fav o rab l e t o th e ju ry ’ s v erd i ct

, 1 t h e reco rd s ho ws t h at

aro u n d 4 : 0 0 a.m

. o n J u l y 1 0

, 2 0 1 4

, an o ffi cer o bs erv ed a b l ack Cad i l l ac m o v i n g

b ack w ard

, away fro m a red l i g h t

. W h en t h e l i g h t t u rn ed g reen

, t he d ri ver d ro v e

fo rward an d t h en t u rn ed l eft

, cro s s i n g t h e fo g l i n e s ev eral t i m es

. T h e o ffi cer s t o p p ed

t h e d ri v er, wh o m he i d en t i fi ed at Szo p i n s ki

. Szo p i ns k i t o ld th e o f f i c er t h at h er

weav i n g was t h e res u l t o f h av i n g s o m et h i n g i n h er ey e. T h e o ffi cer s m el l ed t h e o d o r

o f an al co h o li c b ev erag e co m i n g fro m i ns i d e th e car, an d h e n ot iced t h at Szo p i n s k i ’ s

ey es w ere b l o o d s h o t an d wat ery

. Szo p i n sk i ad m i t ted t h at s h e h ad co n s um ed a co u p l e

o f b eers

. Bas ed o n t h es e o bs erv at i o n s

, t h e offi cer co n d u ct ed a DUI i n v es t ig at i o n an d

as k ed Szo p i n s k i t o perfo rm vo l u n t ary fi el d s ob ri et y t es t s

. Szo p i n s k i d i d p oo rl y o n t h e

fi el d s o bri et y t es t s an d s h e refu s ed t o gi v e a prel i m i n ar y b r e a t h t es t

. Gi v en h er

ad m i s s i o n s an d t h e res u l t s o f t h e fi el d s o b ri et y t es ts

, t h e offi cer arres t ed Szo pi n s k i fo r

d ri v i ng u n d er t h e i n fl u en ce o f al co h o l

.

T he r e a ft er, th e o ffi cer read v erb at i m fro m hi s card t h e Geo rg i a Im plie d C onse nt

W arn i ng fo r p ers o n s 21 an d o v er. Szo p i n s k i ag reed t o t ak e a s tat e-ad m i n i s t e r ed

b reat h t es t m eas u ri ng h er b lo od al co h o l

. O n t h e w a y t o t h e jai l

, Szo p i n s k i as k ed

1 Ja cks o n v. Vi r

g i n i a

, 4 4 3 U. S. 3 0 7

, 3 19 (III) (B) (9 9 SCt 2 7 8 1

, 6 1 LE2 d 5 6 0 )

(1 9 7 9).

2q u es ti o n s reg ard i n g t h e s t at e-ad m i n is t ered t es t. Th e o ffi cer rei t erat ed th at t h e t es t was

v o l u n t ary

. T h e o ffi cer t es t i fi ed t h a t

, o n ce t h ey arri v ed at t h e jai l

, Szo p i n s k i refu s ed

t o t ak e t he s tat e-ad m i n i s t ered t es t

.

At t ri al

, Szo p i n sk i tes ti fi ed t h a t s h e h ad co n s u m ed two b eers s ev eral h o u rs

p ri o r to d r i v i ng

. Sh e ad m i tt ed t h at

, aft er h er arres t

, sh e h ad co n sen t ed t o a

s t at e-ad m i n i s t ered b reat h t es t

. Sh e al s o t es t i fi ed t hat s h e w an t ed t o t ak e t h e t es t

. Sh e

cl ai m ed

, h o wev er, t hat wh en s h e arri v ed at t he j ai l

, t h e p o l i c e d en i ed h er t h e

o p p o rt u ni t y t o t ak e t h e t es t. Sh e al s o t es ti fi ed t h at sh e h ad fai l ed t o m ai n tai n h er l an e

b ecau s e s h e h ad s o m et h in g i n h er ey e an d s h e was l o o k in g at h er p h o n e. On

cro s s -ex am i n at i o n, Szo p i n s ki ad m i t t ed t h at s he h ad n o t t o l d t h e arres t i n g o ffi cer t h at

,

i n ad d i t i o n t o hav i n g s o m et h i n g i n h er ey e, s h e had al s o b een l o o k i n g at h er p h o n e to

read an o l d t ex t m es s ag e.

1

. Szo p i n sk i co n t en d s t hat t h e t ri al co u rt erre d i n a l l o w i ng t h e j u ry t o h ear

t es t i m o ny t h at s he h ad refu s ed t o t ak e t h e St at e-ad m i n i s t ered b reat h t es t

. Sh e arg u es

t h at h er refu s al was m ad e u po n rel i an ce o f h er F o u rt h Am en d m en t ri g h t s an d,

t h erefo re, m ay n ot b e u s ed as ev i d en ce o f her g u i l t

. Becau s e Szo p i n s k i ’ s refu s al was

n o t m ad e i n rel i an ce u p o n a co n s t i t u ti o nal ri g h t

, b ut

, rat h er, a q u al i fi ed ri g h t creat ed

b y t h e l eg i s l at ure, t h is cl ai m o f erro r i s wi t h o u t m eri t

.

3Gen eral ly

, th e St at e m ay co n t ro l t h e o p erat i o n o f m ot or v eh i cl es u p o n i t s p u b l i c

ro ad s an d h i g hway s

, an d

, pu rs u an t t o i t s p o l ice p o wers

, m ay i m p o se reas o n ab l e

req u i rem en t s o n d ri v ers

. See W ar d v. S t a te

, 1 8 8 Ga. A p p

. 37 2 -3 73 (1 ) (3 7 3 SE2 d 6 5 )

(1 9 8 8). G i ven th at i m

p ai red d ri v ers co n st i tu t e “ a d i rect an d im m ed i at e t h reat t o t h e

wel fare an d s afet y o f t h e g en eral p u b l i c[,] ” Geo rg ia l aw p ro v i d es

, i n rel ev an t p art

,

t h at

an y p ers o n wh o o p e r at es a m o t o r v eh icl e u p o n t he h i g hway s o r

el s ewh ere t h ro u g h o u t t h i s s t at e s h a l l b e d eemed t o h ave g iven co n sen t

,

s u b je c t t o C o d e Sect i o n 4 0 -6 -3 9 2

, to a ch emi ca l tes t o r t es ts o f h is o r

h er b l o o d

, b reat h

, u ri n e, o r o t h er b o d i l y s u b s t a n c es fo r t he p urp o s e o f

d e t e r m i n i n g t h e p res en ce o f al co h o l o r an y o t h er d ru g

, if a r r es t ed f o r

a n y o f f en s e a r i si n g o ut o

f a ct s al l eg ed to h ave b een co mmi t t ed i n

vi o l a t i o n of Co d

e S ect io n 4 0 -6 -3 9 1 or i f s u ch pers o n i s i n v o l ved i n an y

t raffi c acci d en t res u l t i ng i n s eri o us i n j u ri es o r fat al i t i es

.

(Em p h as i s s u p p l i ed

. ) OCGA § 4 0 -5 -5 5 (a). O CGA § 4 0-6 -3 9 2 (d ) p ro vi des t h at “ [i ] n

an y cr i m i n a l t r i al

, t h e refu s al o f t h e d efen d an t to p erm i t a ch em i cal an al y s i s t o b e

m ad e o f hi s bl oo d

, b reat h

, uri n e, o r o t h er b o d il y s u b s t a n ce at t h e t i m e of h i s arres t

s h al l b e ad m i s si b le i n ev i d en ce ag ai n s t h i m .”

“ Th e ri g h t t o refu s e t o su b m i t t o s tat e ad m in i s t ered t es t i n g i s n ot a

co n st i t u t io n al ri g h t

, b u t o n e creat ed b y t h e l eg i s l at ure.” (Ci t at i on o m i t ted .) Kl i n k v.

4S t a t e

, 2 7 2 G a. 6 0 5

, 6 0 6 (1 ) (5 3 3 SE2 d 9 2 ) (2 0 0 0 ). 2 Al t h o u g h Szo p i n s k i h ad a ri g ht

t o refu s e a s t at e-ad m i n i s t ered ch em i c al t es t u n d er Geo rg i a l aw, t h e ex erci s e o f t h at

r i gh t was n o t wi t h o u t co n s eq u en ces

. As we h av e ex p l ai ned

, “ [t ] h e i m p li ed co n s e n t

s t at u te g ran t s d ri v ers t he ri g h t t o refu s e t o t ak e a s t at e-ad m i n i s t ered t es t

, wi th o n e o f

t h e co n s eq u en ces o f ex erci s i n g t h at ri g h t b ei n g t h at ev i d en ce o f s u c h refu s al i s

ad m i s s i b l e at t ri al

. ” W

i l l i a m s v. S t a t e

, 2 97 Ga. Ap p

. 6 2 6

, 6 2 8 (6 7 7 SE2 d 7 7 3) (2 0 0 9 ).

See al s o Hyn es v. S t a t e

, 34 1 G a. Ap p

. 5 0 0, 5 08 ( SE2 d ) (2 0 17 ) (“ Th e cas e l aw

i n t erp re t i n g i m

p l i ed co n s en t l aws d em o n s t rat es t h at t h e ju d i ci ary o v erwh el m i n g l y

s an ct i o n s t h e u s e o f ci v i l p e n a l t i e s an d ev i d en t i ary co n s eq uen ces ag ai n s t DUI

2 Szo p i n s k i ’ s re l i a n c e o n W i ll i a ms v. S t a t e

, 2 9 6 G a. 8 1 7 (7 7 1 SE2 d 3 7 3 )

(2 0 1 5), i s m i s p l aced

. Th at cas e ad dres s ed th e s t an d ard s t o b e ap p l i ed w h en ev al u at i n g

wh et h er t o a d

mi t ev i d en ce o f a d efen d an t ’ s b l o o d al co h o l co n t en t o b tai n ed t h ro u g h

s t at e-ad m i n i s t e r e d ch em i cal t es t i ng

. Th e Su p rem e Co u rt i n W il l ia ms no t ed t h at a

warran t l es s search is co n s t i t u t io n al o n l y i f ex i g en t ci rcu m s t an ces are p res en t o r t h e

s u s p ect co n s en t s t o t h e s earch

, an d “ m ere co m p l i an ce wi t h s t at u t o ry i m

p l i ed co n s en t

req u i rem en t s d o es n o t

, p er s e, eq uat e t o act u al

, an d th erefo re v o l u n tary

, co n s en t o n

t h e p art o f t h e s u s p ect s o as t o b e an ex cep t i o n t o t h e co ns t i t u t i o n a l m an d at e o f a

warran t .” Id

. at 8 2 2

. W h et h er a d efen dan t h as g i v en act u al co n s en t t o t he p ro cu ri n g

an d t es t in g o f h i s o r h e r b l o o d req u i res a d et erm i nat i on of t h e v o lu n t ari n es s o f t h e

co n sen t un d er t h e to tal i t y o f t h e ci rcu m st an ces

. Id

. at 8 2 3

. Wh i l e t h e reas o n i n g in

W i l l ia ms “ m ay h av e s u b st an t i al l y ero d ed Kl i n k’s an al y t i cal fo u n d at io n

, . . . [t h e cas e]

n ev ert h el es s rem ai n s b i n d i n g au t ho ri t y o v er th i s Co u rt u n l e s s an d un t i l i t i s

o v ert u rn ed b y ou r Su p rem e Co u rt .” (Ci t at i o n s om i t t ed .) McKi bb en v. St a t e

, 3 4 0 Ga.

Ap p . 8 9 , 9 2 n . 1 0 (7 9 6 SE2 d 4 7 8 ) (2 01 7 ).

5s u s p ect s wh o refu s e t o co m p ly .”). Th u s

, t h e t ri al co u rt d id n o t e r r i n ad m i t t i n g t h e

ev i d en ce o f Szo p in sk i ’ s refu s al t o t ak e t he s t at e-ad m i n i s t ered b reat h t es t

.

2

. Szo p in sk i al s o co n t en d s th at t h e t ri al co u rt erre d in al l o wi ng t h e St at e to

co m m en t d u ri ng c l o s i ng arg u m en t on Szo p in s k i ’ s al l eg ed fai l u re t o co m e fo rward

wi t h ev id en ce i n h er d efen s e. 3 Becau se t h e reco rd do es n o t s u p p o rt t hi s cl ai m o f erro r,

we fi n d i t t o b e wi t h o u t m eri t

.

Szo p i n s k i t es t i fi ed th at s he i n i ti al l y t o l d t he arres t i n g o ffi cer t h at s h e had fai l ed

t o m ai n t ai n h er l an e b ecau s e sh e h ad s o m et hi n g i n h e r ey e. O n th e s t an d

, s h e al s o

cl ai m ed t h at h er weav i n g was d u e t o her “ m ul t i t as k i n g,” t h at s h e h ad b een read i n g an

o l d t ex t m es s ag e o n h er p h o ne. Th e s o l i ci t o r cro s s-ex am i n ed Szo pi n s ki ab o u t t h i s

i n co n s i s t e n c y, an d Szo pi n s k i s ai d t h at s h e d id n o t m en ti o n lo o k i n g at h er p h o n e

b ecau s e “ [n ] ot h i n g was a s k e d ab o u t i t .” Du ri n g cl o s i n g, as part o f an arg u m en t

s u g g es t i n g t hat i t was i n cred ib l e t h at Szo p i n s k i h ad deci d ed t o read an o l d t ex t wi th

s o m et h in g i n h er ey e wh i l e tu rn i n g left

, t h e s o l i ci to r s tat ed : “ [I] ’ s th e fi rs t t i m e s h e’ s

ev er s ai d i t t o an y

b od y

. . . . [T] h at ’ s t he fi r s t t i m e s h e’ s ev er g iv en t h at s to ry .” It i s

3 Th e Su prem e Co u rt o f G eo rg i a h as co n s is t en t l y h e l d s i n ce 1 9 91 t h at a

co m m en t u p on a d efen d an t ’ s s il en ce o r fai l u re t o co m e fo rward wi l l n o t b e al l o wed

,

ev en wh ere t h e d efen d an t t ak es t h e st an d i n hi s o r h er o wn d efen s e. S a n d er s v. S t a t e

, 2 9 0 Ga. 6 3 7

, 6 4 0 (4 ) (7 2 3 SE2 d 4 3 6 ) (2 0 1 2 ).

6cl ear fro m th e reco rd t hat t h e s ol i ci t o r was no t co m m en ti n g on Szo pi n sk i ’ s fai l u re to

co m e fo rward wi t h ev i d en ce; rat h er, h e was arg ui n g t h at t h e ju ry co u l d i n fer fro m t h e

i n co n s i s t en ci es i n h er s tat em en t s t h at Szo pi n sk i w as m a k i n g u p a s to ry t o ex p l ai n

away h er d ru n k dri vi n g

, arg u m en t wh i ch t h e l aw al l o w s

. See Br ad f o r d v. S ta t e

, 2 9 9

Ga. 8 8 0

, 8 8 7 -8 8 8 (7 ) (7 9 2 SE2 d 6 8 4 ) (2 01 6 ) (“ [T] h e p ro s ecu t o r’ s l in e of q u es t i o n i n g

p erm i s s i b l y ex p l o red t he i n co n s i s t en ci es b et ween ap p el l an t ’ s t ri al tes t i m on y an d h i s

p ri o r s t at em en t s m ad e t o c i v i l i an s o n t h e s cen e an d t h e p o l ice s oo n aft er t h e

s h o o ti n g

. ”) (ci t at i o n o m it t ed .). Th us , we fi n d n o m eri t i n t h i s cl ai m o f erro r.

Ju d g men t a f f i r m ed . An d

r ews a nd Ri ckma n , JJ., co n cu r

.

7