OFFICE OFTHEAmORNEY iiENERAl.OF~ 

AUSTIN 

222 

~ord&3 AlwIn P. r%Pe 

c0urity kttorney 

Dear sir; oplnlon NO. o-3845 

Ret Does Arttiole ~OZQ of the Peril 

Code, by its Irtn@&ga, cwer 

The foll0vdn& question is taken from your letter 

July SO, 19&L, Ixppn whi0h you requerrt t&e opinion Oi this 

$rpaftm.ent t 

WMS 8uah Pens1 Co40 Art. 8020, by its lenguage, owc)r anything mom then Negligent Bomicidb 

aa dafinsd by P. C* Artr. USO-lQB0-1~39-liZ4O; or 

i6 it broad t~~Ou&i to 00t.r P. C. Art. ll49, br 

In& aoaault with e motor vehbls; Ati. lZ4l I-. C .a 

and th. 8tutUtbE On 8lUI’hr)” 

of 

*'Any pezsoti who drives or operates an autonobile or any other motor.rehiols upon eny pub- . 

1113 road or f*g?mp in thLE .$tato, or upon any 

etroet or alley witMa the ~llmits oi an Lncorporatsd aitp to*n or tflllage, while suoh peraon la intoxioatea or under the inmlenee of 

irtoxioating lipuQr, shall be gul&tiy of a r&mdemeanor, end w>on tmnriation shell be ~punlshe4 

bp oonfineamnt in the County Iuil for not less 

than tan (10) daya nor mwo than two (a), yoar8 

or by e fine nf no$ less than F’iftr Doller6 

($50) nor nore t&n Fire 

i$ by bath such fine and 
223 

., *,. 

Bonomble Alwln F. ~epe, Page Z 

Artiole 8020, Vernnon*a Annotated Peral C&e, beine 

8 new sedtion added by Seatlon 3 of Houee nil1 73, 47th 

tngielature, roads as follwnl 

whny per305 who &irbs or opercrtar en 

automobile or any other motor VehlOle upon any. 

pub110 rend or hlgbwey in this State, or upon 

uny street or alley or any other plaoe wltbln 

the llmlte OX en Incorporated aity, tarn, or? 

village, while ruoh pttrson Is intoxioatsd or 

under the iniluenoe of intoxloating liquor, 

ant3 while ao arlvlne and operating suoh autozobfle or other motor oehlole sbell through 

accident or mistake do another aat wblah if 

voluntiwlly dons would be a felony, &&bell 

remit-e the puniahment~aftixod to the felony 

a0twlp OOdttba.w 

As to the Sects submitted fn your re uert we do 

.not underteke to paw upon tbe arlmlnel liabll 2 tp 04 the 

persoa charged t&moon, nar a0 we oonstrub your letter ae 

rsquostf~ng us to do 80. tire point ost, however, t&at under 

the iaats submitted ir yuur letter, we 860 no quei3tlon inrololng Article 80&b of the Code oonteined ln pour request, 

therefore it la unaeaoss6aay for u8 to oonc&lder thie statute. 

Article 42, Vomon'r haotatqd paal c&e, protide81 

*One intenai~ to atdmlt a felony and who 

in the ciat of preparing ior or ereoutinet the 

sax16 shell through mist&e or Pa&lent do an-’ 

otbm act wblah, ii voluntarily do@e,~ would be 

e felohy, shell rsoelos the punlsbment affixed 

to the felony aatually aamxltted,* 

Article 45 of the Code 2rovldea that the Intention 

to connit an oiieatle in presumed whenever tbe umans t&&e& I.6 

such as would ordimrlly result in-the oomudsalon of the 

?orSldden act. 

vldcsr 

Article 1149,. Ver’n0nt4 knnotated Penal CaUe, proe 

*If ang driver or operator of e motor 

vehicle IJS motorayale shall wlUully OF ~.itfi 
ae~linsnce, aa is doriwd in the Penel code 

of ti& 3?ate inthe title aad ohzqtsr on 

ne;ll!:ent hm.5cSdo, c01lid6 with or cause injury loge than death to any other parson he 

&Al ;!e ixld guilty of qz;RrevatoQ csaault, 

end, up+n cmvictian, shall be ~uni5h4d by 

finc not less than Twenty-flvs ($Za.OO) Dollam, nor zore thn Ofi0 TImwand (&OCO.OO) 

Dollera, or by Inprl6onmnt in jail not leer 

theI: one xoizth nor'more thea t!?o ye.crs, or 

by toth cluoh fine and lqrloonmont~ unlssa 

suoh lnjudea result ln Cqsth, lo which atsnt 

tio:driver or operator of soy sotor rchLale 

or motoroy8lo &all be dealt with under the 

gamml law of hmloie," 

ThC +3Wf!d 1eW Of hWI$eide IQJ ?Ourtd iI& a&BpSOM. 

:tlale*l8Ol deS& “hcml.elde* I; the dastruetion~oi the 

- lb inulurive ktiales 1801 et se&, or tha Penal Code, 

llfa of one human beisg br the 6at nfsenoy ~soeuxei~ent, or 

aulpable omlaeion of another. f&ale l&Ook provld&~ tkt 

the destruatlon of life mast be ocm~1ot.e by such Cot, *to;,. 

but although the lnfury ?vhlah oaumd death tight aot ardor 

other oirawstaaeas here proved tat& jet lr such iajurg~bs 

the aeuse at c?eath, without its l p 

been any groor negleat or ma&test p” 

aring tImt.then hem’. 

y improper treatment of 

the permn in~nred, lt la homioibo. 

Article 1241 of 5aia code ~rovldrat 

wRm one fn the ~xeautlon of or in ettaoptlng to exeaute an aot mada a felony by 

law shall kill an&her though without an appare& intention to L&l, the imaw~ does 

uot corn4 wlthin ths detinltion of ne$Ji@mt 

hootiolde . ” 

Article lZ&6 of ssfd Cods provideoz 

3fhoever ahall volunt~ily kill any pereon within this 3tsto shcll.?:e F;ull.ty of EUXCder. mmier shell.be dlstlngulrshed from avery other splclna nf hc?llciikJ bg tao cboeuae 4-s 

clrc-mstsncar whic;h reduce tho ofiease to 

na~ll~mt %mlcfde or which 850~6 clr juatlfy 

the killing.*’ 
225 

ID tki8 DBBO Of %Op?h~n V. sttite, 146 S. w. (!?a) 376, 

&pe:lant was ccririQted OP murder, ft balng alleged that 

goymhan. w!!ile drirfnt; and operatin:.; 5 5otQr vshfole upon a 

publio street within the city of Sen Antonio, Texea, ena 

ahlle so opsratin~ and driviru; wea undsr the fnfluenee of 

i5t0xlcetirig ll:luor, and did then and there, thrc,u;h eooldeat 

ad mistake, kill deoeased by etWcl.ri the autozoblle of deoe~~~d, thereby. ;~Jarring brulelng tend breciklng the body OS 

deocalled. The oourt ln&ucted the Jury with referenae to 

Article 42, nupra, w%ioh lnetruotion wzs obJeoted to on the 

ground. that k-tiole 48 had no applloatlon to the ease but 

t&et A,zt.iole 1241 was apgliceblo. The court held tbet Jlrtl0x8 &Ml, r.+erred to, wm not ‘appllccble tc the oese cad 

ed, out of the not aerining megllgant hadcide. 

t&at such article merely t&se an offeme ee thelneeohpserved that thie o 

P 

inion wea reuderrd before the aneatlmen~ 

to Article 808 pais ng the offeneo of drlvlzg end operetln(J 

a .tPotoP vehicle on a publlo OLghuay or street, while untler 

the lnfluenae of iatoxlaatlng liquor, a mladamoanor in the 

flraf lmt~noe. ht the time of the opinion the of?ense oi 

eo driving a notor vehlole wa6. a felony. 

Suds0 Ikittlniore, apeekia~ for the aourt on motion 

for rehem@, in the oaee of Burton vq State, I.%3 Tqx. Cr. R. 

363, 55 s. Yi. (ml) 813, 615, web the following languagr$ 

-“In other vords, the mere feot that a 

~1(1~ 16 under the lnflue~e of lntoxioetl~ 

liquor while operatin+: a oar OS a hl@my, 

this :+in(; in rend of itself the egmlssion 

df a felony, should oat in ree$on and oomon 

8sn.m make him Guilty of mrirder, If ,he be 

opcr+tin$ the oar oorreotly, and aa a raen 

shoiild who wcx not under,the influence of 

,lntoxlca$ing liquor.* 

In SuZrge httlmore*r opinion la the forsgoiog ease, 

he aleerly aate forth the proper lntsrpretatlon to be @aed 

on .&rtlcle 42 of the Peoal Codm, pertlau$erly the phrase wone 

lntendine to ccmnlt. P fe?ony end who . . : ahall through 

aoaldat and nristakeW do another sot. Thus in caeee ahareirig haraicrlde, invclvin~ driving an autwobiie while undhr. 

th6 infl;lctic~ of intoXiOat~,liQAOr, where the oOn\mi6riOn 

of an’offsmu9 1s ohargea uasr Artlole 42, the Court of Crinflnar Appeals aonsistently required in addition to proof 

t&t tte acaused was under the lnfLnos of intoxloatlng 

liquor, proof %hat the oolllston and death of the deeeased 
I_ 226 u

~onorobls hlwln il. Pape, Page 5 

m# brouf,hC @tout or nttri3utablo to the r?an.?ar in which the 

aooused hendlod this oar. Modoynahan 0. 3tate, 144 ~-. Vi. (Ed) 

5741 Koman v. Ptxte, 121 *x. Cr. I;. 433, 22 5. W. (2d 

1051; Jonoe v. State, 127 Tax. Cr. R. 227, 75 S. I?. (2a 

683; Collir~s v. State, 1 

1% Tex. Cr. R. Z@b, Q4 9. W, (Ed) 

443. T:u&, the court seld 1s Colllnr v. State, clupra, are 

$.seues of faot to be doteMne4 by the jury under appropriate 

inatructir;ns fro3 tha uourt. bn a>prwed charge on this 

.question le found in the rdoynahan daes ebovs oited. 

In Cookrel.1 V. State, ,135 Tax. Cr. l?. 218 ll7 8. W. 

llG5, the t.?efrn?cr.t was convioted of murder with m&o., a& 

(2d) 

on a>ppeol the oaea wa6 affirmed. The oourt ic the indiotmsnt 

upco whloh ths Jury found ita oslrdiot ohargsd simply, that 

defendant WnlawfUlly, voluntarily and with malioe abbrrthought" killed Ueceadsd by striking with an autorobile. Tha 

rreoond count of the lndlotment, oubmitted to the jury mlong 

with the flr&t oount, oharged thet ln.the sxsoution at an 

unlawful and fo$onioua aot through &ooldsnt and~ml.et&& 

appellant drove an automobks against the deoeased ahil&n. 

quotliqq Artloles 1149 hn4 1201, aupra, the ooart 

in the Cookrell case said that.6 persoti driving an automobile 

uho lnjixres a-other by the wllltul and negligent uaa of enah 

atitozobils, thereby ccuaing the death of such pereon, does 

not deoeaearlly oome within the provieiona of the law donounol~ negliesnt hmsiolde. In the oaee the court followed 

&at. P. Trott; 190 W. 01 674, 180 9. E. 627, 42 A. I.. R. 

lll4;enU quotsd.th6wofm the followings 

qurder ln the ssoond degree or order at 

oomon law, 1s the unlawf~1~kllllng of a human 

being wit& a~alioe aforethought. Xalios doea 

not neoeeearily meen an aotual intent to take 

- human life. It map be inferential or implied, 

lnatsad of po@itlvs, .as,when an aot whioh 3.e 

?ortn danger to another la done eo'reoklerely 

or wantonly ae to manliest depravity of mind 

and dleregrd of human life." 

It appeara by the provisiona of Article 8020 of 

the Penal Code, that the Lsgllilature hse'a?:rely combined in 

8 special law ralatiw to driving while intoxioat&d,-~ or while 

under the fntluenoe of intoriosting liquor, eesential teatures of &%iole 42 making it hn offerBe whr;ro one so o eratfng the autornoblla oommits a felony, with::ut the nsoaas P ty 

of such pereon intending to aommit or being in the Rot of 
Bomrable Alrin E. Pep, Page 6 

preparia for or exeoutln;, n felow’at the tlrce another slot, 

whioh bein;- voluntarily dme, Is oommltted. Sy the provlsfons of Xrticle 802, as amended, the ofienee of driving 

,@hile intoxlosted or under the Inrluanoe or intoxioatlng 

liquor hca been reduosd in grade rrom a felony to a mledemeanor~ In >roseoutlons und-r the provisiona of Article 

8020, thqrerore, the iore.zoing oaeea inrolvllia the oftensee 

formerly oharged and proesouted under Article 42, otipliBent to Article eO2 as it fomerly existed, are of Iimenee 

value in their oon&mtion OS the law here to be oonsidered, for the greater part unchanged as we view It, in orfeneee 

oharged under Artiole BOEc, eupra. 

& ohargiag an OfietWe of neglfgeat homlolde under 

Artiole 8020, whPhioh ortense contains no element of intent, 

Article 1241 would no:longer be appltoable 80 aa to reaove 

the ofrenee from that grade defining negligent hixuloide. 

Thea article is only applioable where one I8 in the exeoution ot or attemding to exooute an aot made a felonmah 

re(lult#.~in klllimz another person. 

It. 18 our view that by the lenge~e. 01 Artlole 

8020, supra, the Le&iel~:tuxe has lnpoaed orb&ml Ueblllty 

to the act of driving.whlle lntoxloate4 or under the influenoe of intoxicating liquor. By Artlole 802, ,thls ofienne In itself is malum ~rohlbltum and under Artlolslr 

ll4p and 1201, dem~ent upon the oirgmetano~er under @hioh 

the aooldent oausing the death oooure, euoh aot ohcrged 

under Art5.ole 802e m&y be melm in ee from ithloh the intention to oommlt the otrenee ae express&d b hrtlole 43 

or the Penal Coda, 1s prsaumed. 5 Am. Jur. 1 792, pm 928 

29; Cockrell v. State, 135 Tex. Cr. R. r: “18, 117 s. Ilk. r2df 

1105. In the Cookrell case, Judge Orcve6 speakin+? for 

the court, cites wSth approval the following languige from 

Goo4.m~ v. Comonwaolth, 1SS Ba, 943, I51 6. K. 158s 

Vhen men, while drunk or eober, drive 

autosobi’ies alon hi&ways, and through orouded streets reoiclssaly, the killi~ of human . 

beings is R riatural an4 grob~:ble result to 

be axtiolpated. m,en homicide follows ae a 

ocnsecuence of such cotzduot, a o~lrlnal intent is Imputed to the offender, aa4 he may 

be gunlshed for his crlae. The precise gra4e 

or ouch u h%fcide, l*;hather murder or manslau&ter, depends upon the Teote of the Dartloulcr case." 
228 

Eonarable A1d.n 8. Pape, ~agr 0 

It 18 th*reCoro the o&Ion or thin drpartnmnt 

that tha ptivirlone 0r Arttole 00110, Veraon* Annotate6 

penal Code, oonrbrued with Article8 1149 and 1801, aupre, 

and 1236 Oi aaid Code, the latter artiole 6sflaing %urder*, 

is sutfloientl~ broed to eu.pport an indiOtiiw$t obergiag 

murder, with or wlebmt nulloe. Artlole 1841 or iald Code 

1s no longer applloable to take the fgron6e dharged out 

of the definition of negilcjeat hoaioide, because of the 

asonauant to Article 8088 *rtllols 1%4l relating to the 

exeoution ornttmp$ed exeoutloa of a rai0n;e; e violation 

or Articlo 802 be&q3 a 8p40iri0 ml8demeanor 0rra5~. 

Artlole BOlio is a new artlole and ie l pparenbly 

Intended to arake a mm rule applloable to the apqolrlo ormoose 

deilnod by &rtiola 808, W.&oh i6 a ai64waernor offanaa. 

The obvious purpose ln enaotln& 8080 ie tq a 

announosd in Artlale 48, whloh appllea to fr P 

ply the rule 

onlerr generallp, to the one spdalrio tirdsnqstor .0rrub8~, Wunk drlriagS, 

Artlols 808. If then offenre deneunwd by Ar%te&s 808 ha& 

rmalaed a reloay, them would hare boea no e6oa8lon ror 

tbo eaaotmoat or wtlele SM!o, bseauae Artiole 48auld be 

l pplioable. 

xt th4mr0rO r0ii0w that the ~OO~S~OM 0r.tha 

Court or Orinlnal Appeal@ oonattilng Artlole 48 am applied 

to -bm~ 6ri+ia& rhila said orme wr48 a r6104, would ,.'. 

apply dth'e~ml forae.nor to ~tilclo 8OE;o; that the offeluer 

sustain04 ia'the opemtlon, 0r ttm rom4r would apply ,001 to 

the lsttar; utd that your qm3tlon must, bo spasfrloally 

y~w~~~~ th*,t Artlele 0080 ~6008 cover more than aa@geC 

. 

Yours very truly