FOURTH D I VI SI ON DOYLE, P. J.

, M I LLER and DI LLA RD, 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 ls .us /r ule s /

Nov em ber 12, 2014



# I n th e Co u r t o f

A p p eals o f

G eo r g ia

A1 4 A1 04 0 . CHARALES v . THE STATE. DO-0 3 8

D O Y LE , Pres i d i n g J u d g e.

Fo l l owi n g a b en ch t ri al

, Ro b ert Ch aral es a/ k / a Ro be r t C h ak al es w as fo u n d

g u i l t y of dri v i n g u n der t h e i n fl u en ce t o t h e ex ten t i t was l es s s afe t o d ri ve (“ DUI l es s

s afe”) 1 an d d ri v i ng u n d er t he in fl u en ce wi th an u n l awfu l al co h o l co n cen trat i o n (“ DUI

p er s e”). 2 Ch aral es ap p eal s th e den i al o f h i s s u b s eq u en t m ot i on fo r new t ri al

, arg u i n g

t h at t h e t ri al co u rt erred b y d en y i n g h i s p ret ri al m o ti o n t o s up p res s b ecau s e (1 ) t h e

ch eck p o i n t at w h i ch h e was s t op p ed was u n l awfu l

, an d (2 ) p o l ice fai l ed t o t i m el y read

h i m t h e i m

p l i ed co n s en t n o t i ce. Becau s e t h e St at e fai led t o d em o ns t rat e t h at t h e l aw

1 OCGA § 4 0 -6 -3 9 1 (a) (1 ).

2 OCGA § 4 0 -6 -3 9 1 (a) (5 ).en fo rcem en t ag en cy ’ s ch eck p o i n t p ro g ram h ad an ap pro p ri at e p ri m ary p urp o s e, we

rev ers e.

W h en rev i ewi ng a t ri al co u rt ’ s r u l i n g o n a m ot i o n to s u p p res s , t h e ap p el l at e

co u rt fo l l o ws t h ree fu nd am en t al p ri n ci p l es

.

Fi rs t

, wh en a m o t i o n t o s u p p res s i s h eard b y t h e t r i al ju dg e, t h at j u d ge

s i ts as t h e t ri er o f fact s. Th e t ri al ju d g e h ears th e ev i d en c e , an d h i s

fi nd in g s b as ed u po n co n fl i ct i n g ev id en ce are an al o g o u s to t h e verd i ct o f

a ju ry an d sh o u l d n o t b e d i s t urb ed by a rev i ewi n g co u rt i f t h e r e i s an y

ev i d en ce t o s u p p o rt t hem

. Seco n d

, t h e t ri al co u rt ’ s d eci s i on wi t h reg ard

t o q u es t i o n s o f fact a n d cred i b i l it y m us t b e accep t ed u n l es s cl earl y

erro n eo us

. Th i rd

, t h e rev i ewi n g co urt m u s t co n s t ru e t h e ev id en ce m o s t

fav o rab ly t o t h e up ho l d i n g of t h e t ri al co urt ’ s fi n d in g s an d ju d g m en t

. Th es e p ri n ci pl es ap p l y

eq u al l y wh et h er t h e t ri al co u rt ru l ed in fav o r o f

t h e St at e o r t h e d efen d an t

. 3

So v i ewed

, t h e ev i d en ce s h o ws t h at o n M arch 1 4, 2 0 0 9

, Ch aral es was arres t ed

a n d c h a r g ed wi th DUI l es s s afe an d DUI p er s e fo l l o wi n g h is i n ab i l i t y t o p ro p e r l y

p erfo rm fi el d s o b ri et y t es t s at a ch eck po i n t i m p l em en t ed b y t he A t l a n t a Po l i ce

3 (Ci t at i o n an d p u n ct uat i o n o m i t t ed

. ) Br o wn v. St a te

, 2 9 3 Ga. 7 8 7

, 8 03 (3 ) (b ) (2 ) (7 5 0 SE2 d 1 4 8 ) (2 0 1 3 ), q u o t i n g Mi ll er v

. S t a t e , 2 8 8 Ga. 28 6

, 2 8 6 -2 87 (1 ) (7 0 2

SE2 d 8 8 8) (2 0 1 0).

2Dep art m en t (“ APD”). 4 W i t h Ch aral es ’ s co n s en t

, po l i ce ad m i n i s t ered t wo In t o x i l y zer

5 0 0 0 t es t s , w h i ch i n d icat ed b lo o d al co h ol l ev el s o f .2 0 6 an d .2 15

. C h a r a l e s was

ch arg ed wi t h DUI p er s e a n d D U I les s s afe. Pri o r t o t ri al

, he fi led a m o t i o n to

s u p p res s , arg u in g t hat t he ch eck p o i n t was u nl awfu l an d t h e p o l i ce fai l ed t o t i m el y

read h i m t he i m

pl i ed co n s en t n o t i ce, an d t he t ri al co u rt d en ied t he m o t i o n aft er an

ev i d en t i ary h eari n g. 5 Fo l l o wi n g a s t i p u l at ed ben ch t ri al

, th e t ri al co u rt fo u nd Ch aral es

g u i l t y o n b o t h co u n t s , an d i t m erg ed t h e les s safe co u n t i n t o th e p er s e co un t

. Th e t ri al

co u rt den i ed Ch aral es ’ s s u bs eq u en t m o t i o n fo r n ew t ri al

, an d t hi s ap p eal fo l l o wed

. 6

1

. Ch aral es arg u es th at t h e t ri al co u rt erred b y d en y i n g h is m o ti o n t o s u p p res s

b ecau s e t h e St at e fai l ed t o p ro v e t h at APD’ s ch eck p o i n t was l awfu l . W e ag ree.

4 Th e offi cer ad m i n i s t ered t h e fi el d s o bri et y t es t s aft er n o t ici n g t h at Ch aral es

was u n ab l e t o p l ace h i s veh i cl e i n p ark

, h ad s l u rred s p eech an d b lo o d s h o t ey es , an d

em an at ed a s t ro n g o d o r o f al co h o l; Ch aral es d en i ed t h at h e h ad b een d ri n k i n g

.

5 Al t h o u g h t h e ord er d en y i n g t he m ot i o n t o s u p p res s s t at es t h at t h e m o t i o n was b as ed on Ch aral es ’ s arg u m en t s reg ard i n g t h e im p l i ed co n s en t no t i ce, t h e p art i es al s o

p res en t ed ev i d en ce a n d a rg u m en t reg ard i n g t h e l eg al i t y o f t h e ch eck p o i n t

, an d t h e

t ri al co u rt o ral l y

ru l ed at t h e s u p p res s io n h eari n g t h at t h e ch eck p oi n t was p ro p er.

6 W e n o t e t h at a n ew s u p eri o r co u rt ju d g e h eard an d ru l ed u p o n t h e m o t i o n fo r

n ew t ri al aft er t h e ju dg e wh o p res i d ed o v er t h e m o t i o n t o s up p res s h eari n g an d t h e b en ch t ri al ret i red

.

3“ [W ] h ere a d efen d an t ch al l en g es h is i ni t i al s to p at a p o l i ce ch eck p o in t b y way

o f a m o t io n to s u pp res s , t h e St at e b ears t h e bu rd en o f p ro v i n g t h a t t h e sei zu re was

co n st i t u t io n al .” 7 In Br o wn v. St at e , 8 t he Su p rem e Co u rt o f Geo rg i a reaffi rm ed t h e fi v e

req u i rem en t s t h at th e St at e m u s t s h o w fo r a ch eck p oi n t t o b e u p h el d as co n s t i t u t i o n al

as req u i red b y t h e Un i t ed St at es Su p rem e Co urt i n La Fo nt a i n e v. S t a t e 9 :

(1 ) t he d eci s i on to i m

p lem en t t h e [ch eck

p o i nt ] w as m ad e by s u p erv i s o ry

p ers on n el rat h er t h an t h e o f f i cers i n t h e fi el d ; (2 ) al l veh i cl es were

s t op p ed as o pp o s ed t o ran d o m v eh i cl e s t o p s; (3 ) th e d el ay t o m o t o ri s t s

was m i n i m al ; (4 ) t h e [ch eck p o i nt ] o p erat i o n was wel l i d en t ifi ed as a

p o l i ce ch eck p o i n t ; an d (5 ) t h e “ s creen i n g ” o ffi cer’ s t rai ni n g an d

ex p eri en ce w as s u ffi ci en t t o q u al i fy h i m t o m ak e an in i ti al d et erm i nat i o n

as t o wh i ch m o t o ri s t s s h o u l d b e g i v en fi el d t es ts fo r i n t ox i cat i o n

. 1 0

In ad d i t i on , i n Ci ty o

f In d i a n a po l i s v. Ed

m o n d

, 1 1 t h e U n i t ed St at es Su p rem e Co u rt

“ s u p p l em en t ed La Fo nt a i n e’s t es t fo r ev al u at i n g th e im pl em en t at i o n an d o p erat i o n o f

7 Br o wn , 2 9 3 Ga. at 7 9 9 (2 ) (f).

8 Id

.

9 2 6 9 Ga. 2 5 1 (4 9 7 SE2 d 3 6 7 ) (1 9 9 8 ).

1 0 (Pu n ct u at i on o m i t t ed .) Br o wn , 2 9 3 Ga. at 7 9 3 (2 ) (b ), q uo t i n g La Fo n t a i ne , 2 6 9 Ga. at 2 5 3 (3 ).

1 1 5 3 1 U. S. 3 2 (1 2 1 SCt 4 4 7 , 1 4 8 LE2 d 3 33 ) (2 0 0 0 ).

4t h e p art i cu l ar ch eck p o i n t wi t h a d i s t i n ct req u i rem en t fo cu s ed o n t h e l aw en fo rcem en t

ag en cy ’ s ch eck p o i n t p ro g ram .” 1 2

At a m i n i m

u m , th e St at e m

u s t s ho w t hat t h e l aw en fo rcem en t ag en cy ’ s

ch eck p o i n t pro g ram h ad an ap p ro p ri at e p ri m ary p u rp o s e o th er t h an

o rd i nary cri m e co n t ro l

– a p u r p o s e exa mi n ed a t t ha t p r og r a mma t i c

l evel

, rat h e r th an b y t ry i n g t o d et erm i n e t h e m o t i v es o f t h e s up erv i so r

w h o i m p lem en t ed an d t h e o ffi cers wh o co n d u ct ed t h e p art icu l a r

ch eck p o i n t at i s su e. 1 3

In t h i s cas e, p ret erm i t t in g wh et h er t h e ch eck p o i n t es t ab l i s h ed b y t h e APD m et

t h e fi v e La Fo n t a i n e req ui r e m e n t s , t h e St at e h as fai l ed t o p ro v e t h at t he ch eck p o i nt

p r o g ra m h ad an ap p ro p ri at e p ri m ary p u rp o se.

Serg ean t Z ach ery W i l s o n t es t i fi ed at t he s u pp res s io n heari ng th at h e, act i n g as

a fi el d s u p erv i s o r, cal led fo r t h e ch eck po i n t t h at ev en i n g wh ere Ch aral es was s t o p p ed

an d arres t ed

. Acco rd in g to Serg ean t W i ls on , t h e p u rp o s e o f t h at p art i cu lar ch eck p o i nt

was no t cri m e s u p p res s io n, b u t rat h er t o “ ch eck fo r dri v er’ s l i cen s e[s ]

, seat b el t s [,

h ead li g h t s ,] an d safet y v io l at i o n s .” Th ere was , h o wev er, n o t es t i m o n y n o r an y wri t t en

1 2 W i l li a m s v. S t a t e , 2 9 3 Ga. 8 8 3

, 8 9 1 (3 ) (b ) (7 5 0 S E2 d 35 5 ) (2 01 3 ), ci t i n g
Br o wn , 2 9 3 Ga. at 7 9 8 -7 9 9 (2 ) (e).

1 3 (Pu n ct u at i o n om i t t ed ; em p h as i s s up p l i ed .) Br o w n , 2 9 3 Ga. at 7 9 9 (2 ) (f),

q u o t i n g Ed

mo n d , 5 3 1 U. S. at 4 8 (III).

5ev i d en ce ad m it t ed reg ard i n g t h e APD’ s ch eck p o in t p o l i cy o r p ro g ram as a wh o l e. As

t h e Su prem e Co u rt o f Geo rg ia recen t l y ex p l ai n ed

,

a fi n d i n g th at a pa r t i cu l a r ch eck po i n t h as a p ri m ary pu rp o se o t h er t h an

o rd i nary cri m e co n t ro l i s n o t en o u g h t o s at i s fy th e Ed mo n d req ui rem en t

. Ed mo n d req u ires an ex am i n at i o n o f t h e p ol i c y p u rp o s e o f th e

ch eck p o i n t s , vi ewed at t h e p ro g ram m at i c l ev el

, t o en s u re t h at an

ag en cy ’ s ch eck p o i n t s are es t ab l i sh ed pri m ari l y fo r a l awfu l an d fo cu s ed

p u rp o s e li k e t raffi c s afet y rat h er t h an t o det ect ev i d en ce of ord i n ary

cri m i n al wro ng d o i n g .” 1 4

Becau s e t h e St at e fai led t o s ho w t h at th e APD’ s “ ‘ ch eck po i n t p ro g ram h ad an

ap p ro p ri at e p ri m ary

p u rp o s e o t h er t h an o rd i n ary cri m e co n t ro l ’ wh en v i ewed at t h e

p ro g ram m at i c l ev el [,] . . . we t h erefo re m u s t co n cl u d e t h at t h e ch eck po i n t at wh i ch

[Ch aral es ] was s t o p p ed vi ol at ed t h e Fo urt h Am en d m en t .” 1 5 Th u s , t h e t ri al co u rt erred

b y d en y in g Ch aral es ’ s m ot io n t o s up p res s.

2

. Bas ed o n ou r ho l d i n g i n Di v i s i o n 1, we n eed n o t ad d res s Ch aral es ’ s s eco n d

en u m erat i o n

.

Ju d g men t r ever sed . Mi l l er a n d

Di l la r d , JJ., co n cu r

.

1 4 (Pu n ct u at io n o m i t t ed ; em p h as i s i n o ri g i n al .) W

i l l ia ms , 2 9 3 Ga. at 8 9 1 (3 ) (b ).

1 5 Id . at 89 3 (3 ) (b ), q u o t i n g Br o wn , 2 9 3 Ga. at 7 9 9 at (2 ) (e).

6