THI RD DI VI SI ON

ELLI NGTON, P. J.

, BETHEL and GOBEI L, JJ.

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

p h 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

Septem ber 14, 2018



# I n th e Co u r t o f

A p p eals o f

G eo r g ia

A1 8 A1 21 8 . EM M A KATHERINE BERGSTROM v

. THE STATE

B E T H E L , J u d g e.

Em m a Kat heri n e Berg st ro m was co n vi ct ed o f DUI u n d er 21 an d DUI l es s s afe.

Sh e ap p eal s fro m

h er co n v i ct i o n s , arg u i n g t h at Geo rg i a’ s i m p li ed co n s en t s t at u t e i s

u n co ns t it u t i o n al o n i t s face an d as ap p l i ed t o h er. Sp eci fi cal ly

, Berg s t ro m arg u es t h e

St at e fai l ed to p ro v e sh e v o l u n t ari l y co ns en t ed to t h e s tat e-ad m i n is t ered b reat h t es t

,

an d t h e t ri al co u rt erred in d en y i n g h er m o t io n t o s u p p res s th e re s u l t s o f t h e t es t

.

Fi n d in g n o erro r, we affi rm

.

On ap p eal fro m a ru l i n g o n a m o t i o n t o s u p p res s

, we d efer

t o t he t ri al co u rt ’ s fact u al fi n d i n g s an d cred i b i l i t y

d et erm i nat i o n s, b ut rev i ew de n o v o t he co urt ’ s ap p l i cat i o n

o f t h e l aw t o t h e u nd i s pu t ed fact s

. A n d si gn i fi can t l y

, t o th e

ex t en t t h at t h e co n t ro l l i n g fact s are u n d is p u ted b ecau s e

t h ey are p l ai n ly d i s cern ab le fro m t h e p at ro l car-m o u n tedv id eo reco rd in g as t h ey are i n t h is cas e, w e r e v i e w t h o s e

fact s d e n o vo

. Al t h o ug h we o we s u b s t an t ial d eferen ce t o

t h e way i n wh i ch t he t ri al co u rt res o lv ed d i s p u t ed q ues t i o n s

o f m at e r i a l f

a ct

, we o we no d eferen ce at al l t o t h e t ri al

co u rt wi th res p ect t o q u es t i o n s of law, an d i n s t ead

, we m u s t

ap p l y th e l aw o u rs el v es t o t h e m at eri al fact s

. Th is i n cl u d es

l eg al d et erm i n a t i o n s b as ed u po n t h e t o t al i t y o f th e

ci rcu m s t an ces

.

Y eo n g S i k Oh v. S t a t e

, 3 4 5 Ga. Ap p

. 7 2 9

, 7 2 9 -7 30 (8 1 5 S E2 d 9 5) (2 0 1 8 ) (ci t at i o n

o m it t ed ).

So v i ewed

, t h e ev i d en ce s h o ws t h at on Sep t em b er 2 6

, 2 01 5

, Em

m a Kat h eri n e

Berg s t ro m

, t h en 1 7 y ears o l d

, was s to p p ed b y a po l ice o ffi cer at a ro ad b l ock

. Du ri n g

t h e s t o p

, t h e o ffi cer o b s erv ed th at Berg s t ro m s m el led s t ro n g ly o f al co h o l

, an d t h at h er

ey es were b l oo d s h o t an d g l o s s y

. Berg s t ro m ag reed t o t ak e a p o l i c e ad m i n i s t ered

p rel i m i nary b reat h tes t (PBT). Aft er t h e PBT i n d i cat ed a p o si ti v e p res en ce o f al co h o l

,

t h e o ffi cer ex p l ai n ed t h e PBT res u l t s t o Berg s t ro m

, an d s h e ad m i t t ed t o co n s u m i n g

al co h o l a few h o u rs b efo re t h e st o p

. Th e o ffi cer arres ted Berg s tro m an d i m m ed i at el y

read h e r G e o rg i a’ s im

p l i ed co n s en t n ot i ce fo r DUI s u s p ect s u n der 2 1 y ears o f ag e,

wh i ch p ro v i des as fo ll o ws :

2Geo rg i a l aw req u i res y o u t o s u bm i t to s t at e ad m i n i s t ered ch em i cal t es t s

o f y o u r b l oo d

, b reat h

, u ri n e, o r o t h er b od i l y s u b s t an ces fo r t h e pu rp o s e

o f d et erm in i n g i f y o u are u n d er t h e i n fl u en ce o f al co h o l o r d ru g s

. If y o u

refu s e t h i s t es t i n g

, y o u r Geo rg i a dri v er’ s l i cen s e o r p ri v i l eg e t o dri v e o n

t h e h i g h way s of th is s t at e w i l l b e s u s p en d ed fo r a m i n i m u m p eri o d o f

o n e y ear. Yo u r refu sal t o s u b m i t t o t h e req u i red t es t i n g m ay b e o ffered

i n t o ev i d en ce ag ai ns t y o u at tri al

. If y o u s u b m i t t o t es t i n g an d t h e res u l t s

i n d i cat e an al co h o l co n cen t rat i o n o f 0 .0 2 g ram s o r m o re, y o u r Geo rg i a

d ri v er’ s l i cen s e o r p r i v i l eg e t o dri v e o n t h e h i g h way s o f th i s st at e m ay

b e s u s p en d ed fo r a m i n i m u m p eri o d o f o ne y ear. Aft er fi rs t s u b m i t t i n g

t o th e req u i red s t at e t es t s

, y o u are en t i t l ed t o ad d it i o n al ch em ical t es t s o f

y o u r b l o o d

, b reat h

, u ri ne, o r o t h e r b o d i l y s u bs t an ces at y o u r o wn

ex p en s e an d fro m

q u al i fi ed p ers o n n el o f y o u r o wn ch o o si n g

. W i ll y o u

s u b m i t t o t h e s t at e ad m i n i s t ered ch em i cal t es t s o f y o u r b reat h u n d er th e

i m p l i ed co n s en t l aw?

O CGA § 4 0 -5 -6 7 .1 (b )(1 ). Berg st ro m t h en ag reed t o th e s t at e-ad m i n i s t e r e d

b reat h t es t

, s t at i n g

, “ y eah

, I’ l l d o wh at ev er y ou w an t m e t o d o .” Th en

, u s i n g

Berg s t ro m ’ s cel l p h o n e, th e o ffi cer at t em p t ed t o co n t act Berg s t ro m ’ s m o t h er t o p i ck

u p Berg s t ro m ’ s au to m o b i l e so t h at it wo u l d n ot b e im p o u n d ed

. Berg s t ro m t h en

b ecam e h i g h l y u p s et

, s ay i n g

, “ m y m o m ’ s go i n g t o h at e m e fo rev er” an d “ o h m y Go d,

I’ m s u c h an i d i o t

. I h at e m y s el f. I’ m go i n g t o k il l m y s el f.” W h il e t h e offi cer was

m ak i n g t h e p ho n e c a l l

, Berg s t ro m ag ai n s t at ed “ I’ m g o i n g t o ki l l m y s el f,” an d

3rep eat ed l y v erb al i zed h o w t hi s si t u at i o n w o u l d i m p act h er co l le ge pr o spe c t s

. Aft er t h e

o ffi cer was u n ab l e t o co n t act Berg s t ro m ’ s m o t h er an d fat h er, Berg st ro m was search ed

an d t ran sp o rt ed to t h e p o l i ce s t at i o n wh ere t h e s t at e-ad m i n i st ered tes t was co n d u ct ed

.

Th e t es t rev eal ed t h at Berg s t ro m was ov er t h e l eg al l im it

, w i t h a b l o o d al co h ol

co n ten t o f .1 1 5

. Su b s eq u en t l y

, Berg s t ro m was ch arg ed wi t h DUI u n d er 2 1 an d DUI

l es s s afe.

Befo re h er t ri al , Berg s t ro m fi l ed a m o t io n t o s u p p res s t h e res u l t s o f t h e s t at ead m i n is t ered b reat h t es t

, arg u i n g t h at s h e d i d no t v o lu n t ari l y co n sen t t o t h e b reat h tes t

an d t h at Geo rg i a’ s i m

p l i ed co n s en t s tat u t e i s u n co n s ti t ut i on al o n it s face a n d as

ap p li ed to h er. Th e t ri al co u rt den i ed h er m o ti o n

, co n cl ud i n g th at b as ed o n t h e t o t al i t y

o f t h e ci rcu m s t an ces

, Berg s t ro m v o lu n t ari l y co n s en t ed t o t he st at e-ad m i n i s t ered

b reat h t es t

, an d t h at Geo rg i a’ s i m p l i ed c o n s en t n o t i ce was co n s t i t u ti o n al

. At a

s t ip u l at ed b en ch t ri al

, t he t ri al co u rt fo u n d Berg s t ro m g u il t y o f DUI u nd er 2 1 an d DUI

l es s s afe. Th i s ap peal fo l l o wed

.

Berg s t ro m arg u es t h at t h e t ri al co u rt erred b y fai l i n g to fi n d Geo rg i a’ s i m p l i ed

co n sen t s t at u t e u n co n s t i t u t i o nal l y co erci v e o n i t s face an d as ap p l i ed to h er. In l i g ht

o f o u r Su p rem e Co urt ’ s h o ld in g i n Ol evi k v. S t a t e , t h i s arg u m en t fai l s . 3 0 2 Ga. 2 2 8

(8 0 6 SE2 d 5 0 5 ) (2 0 1 7 ).

4In Ol evi k

, th e defen d an t ap peal ed fro m a co n v i ct i o n o f DUI l es s s afe, arg u i n g

t h e t ri al c o u r t erred in d en y i n g h is m o t i o n t o s u p p res s t he res u l t s o f a

s t at e-ad m i n i s t ered breat h tes t. 3 0 2 Ga. at 2 3 1. Li k e Berg s tro m

, t h e d efen d an t arg u ed

t h at Geo rg i a’ s i m

p l i ed co n s en t s t at u t e was u n co n s t i t ut i o n al o n i ts face an d as ap p l i ed

t o h i m

. I d

. a t 2 29

. Th e defen d an t co n t en d ed t h e l an g u ag e o f th e st at u t e was

m i s l ead i n g i n su ch a way t h at i t co m p el l ed h i m t o tak e t h e s t at e-ad m i n i s t ered b reat h

t es t

, v i o l at i n g b ot h h i s d u e p ro ces s ri g h ts an d hi s ri g ht s u nd er t h e Geo rg i a

Co n s t i t u t i o n

. Id

. at 2 2 9

. W h i l e o u r Su p rem e Co u rt ag reed th at th e d efen d an t’ s ri g h t s

u n d er t h e Geo rg i a Co n s t i t u t i o n were i m pl i cat ed wh en h e su b m i t t ed to th e b reat h t es t

,

t h e Co u rt reject ed t h e d efen d an t ’ s faci al ch al l en g e, fi nd i ng th at t h e i m p l i ed co n s en t

n o t i ce i s n o t per s e co erci v e o n i t s face. Id

. at 24 7 (3 ) (a). Th e Co u rt reas on ed t h at t h e

i m p l i ed co n s e n t s t at u te h as a p l ai n l y l eg it i m at e s weep in t h at it d o es n o t i m p o s e

c r i m i n a l p e n al t i es fo r refu s i ng t o s u b m i t t o ch em i cal t es t i ng

, an d t h u s t h e s t at u t e i s

n o t u n co n s t i t u t i o n al i n al l o f i t s ap pl i cat io n s. Id . at 2 4 6 -4 8 (3 ). Co mp a re Bi r ch f i el d

v. No r t h Da ko t a

, 1 36 SCt 21 6 0

, 2 1 8 4 -2 18 5 (V) (C) (3 ), ( 1 9 5 L Ed 2 d 5 6 0 ) (2 0 1 6 )

(wh ere t h e U .S. Su p rem e Co u rt ap p ro v ed t h e g en eral co n cep t o f i m pl i e d- c onse nt laws

t h at i m p o s e ci v i l p en al t i es an d ev i d en t i ary co n s eq u en ces on m o to ri s t s wh o refu se to

5co m

p l y

, b u t s t ru ck d own i m

p l i e d c o n s e n t l aws t h at i m p o s e cri m in al pen al t i es fo r

refu si n g t o s u b m i t t o b l o o d t es t i n g ).

a. Fa ci a l Ch a ll en g e

Here, as i n O levi k

, Berg s t ro m co n t en d s th at Geo rg i a’ s i m p l i ed co n s en t s t at u t e

i s u n co n s t i t u t io nal o n i t s face, arg u i n g t h at t he w a r n i n g s t at em en t req u i red b y t h e

s t at u te i s p at en t l y fal s e an d m is l ead i n g. Ho wev er, ju s t as t h e defen d an t i n O l e v i k

,

Berg s t ro m h as fai led t o d em o n st rat e t h at t h e im pl i ed co n s en t no t i ce i s

u n co ns t it u t i o n al i n al l o f i t s ap p l i cat i o n s

. 3 0 2 Ga. at 2 4 8 (3 ) (a) (i ). S ee a l s o Un i t ed

S t a t es v. S a l er no

, 48 1 U. S. 7 3 9

, 7 4 5 (1 0 7 SCt 2 0 9 5

, 9 5 L Ed 2d 6 9 7 ) (1 9 8 7 ) (“ A faci al

ch al l en g e t o a l e g is l at i v e Act i s

, o f co u rs e, t h e m o st d i ffi cu l t ch al l en g e t o m o u nt

s u cces s fu l ly , s in ce t h e ch al l en g er m u s t es t ab l i s h t h at n o s et o f ci rcu m s t an ces ex i s t s

u n d er wh i ch t h e Act wo u l d b e v al i d .”).

M o reo v er, we are u n p ers u ad ed b y Berg s t ro m ’ s co n t en t i o n t h at t he l an g u ag e o f

t h e w arn i n g i s fu n d am en tal l y i n accu rat e wi t h res p ect to th e vo l u n t ari nes s o f t h e

s earch o r fai l s t o fu l l y ex p l ai n t h e co n s eq u en ces o f n o n -co m p l i an ce, an d t h u s v i o l at es

h er d u e p ro ces s ri g h t s

. Th ere i s n o law req u i ri n g a fu l l an d ex p l i ci t ex p l an at i o n o f al l

p o s s i b l e co n s eq u en ces o f refu s al i n t h is co n t ex t

. Al t h ou g h, as o u r Su p rem e Co u rt

n o t ed

, t h ere m ay b e d efi ci en ci es i n t h e i m p l i ed co n s en t no t ice, “ t here i s n o ev i d en ce

6t h at OCGA § 4 0 -5 -6 7.1 (b ) creat es w i d es p read co n fu s i o n ab ou t d ri v ers ’ ri g h t s an d

t h e co n seq uen ces fo r refu s i n g t o s u b m i t to a ch em i cal t es t o r fo r t ak i n g an d fai l i n g

t h at t es t

. ” Ol evi k

, 3 02 Ga. at 2 5 0 (3 ) (a) (i ). Th u s

, Berg s t ro m ’ s faci al ch al l en g e fai l s

.

b

. As Ap p l i ed Ch a l l en g e

Nex t

, B e r g s t ro m co n t en d s t h at OCGA § 4 0 -5 -6 7 .1 (b ) i s u n co n s ti t ut i o n al as

ap p li ed t o h er an d ch al l en g e s

, i n e s s e n ce, t h e v o l u n t ari n es s o f h er co n s en t t o t h e

u n d erg o t h e s t at e-ad m i ni s tered t es t

. 1 Becau s e t he v o lu n t ari n es s o f co n s en t t o a b reat h

t es t i s d et erm i n ed by l o o k in g t o t h e t o t al i t y o f t h e ci rcu m s tan ces

, w e rev i ew t h e

rel ev an t fact ors co n s id ered b y t h e t ri al co u rt in co ncl u d i n g t h at Berg s t ro m co n s en t ed

t o t he b reat h t es t u n d er Fo u rt h Am en d m en t p ri n ci pl es

.

Geo rg i a co u rt s h av e s ai d t h at t h e vo l u n t ar i n e s s o f a co n s en t t o s earch i s

d et erm i n ed b y

s u ch fact o rs as

t h e ag e o f t h e accu s ed

, [h er] ed u cat io n

, [h er] i n t el li g en ce, t h e len g t h o f

d et en t i o n

, w h et h er th e accu s e d w a s ad v i s ed o f [h er] co n s t i t u t i o nal

1 Si m i l ar t o o u r Su p rem e Co u rt ’ s an al y s i s i n Ol evi k

, Berg s t ro m ’ s “ as ap p l i ed ”

cl ai m i s n o t a ch al l en g e t o t h e st at u t e, b u t rat h er a ch al l en ge t o t h e ad m i s s i o n o f t h e

res u l ts o f t h e b reat h t es t ag ai n s t h er. See Ol evi k

, 30 2 Ga. 2 50 -2 5 1 (3 ) (b ) (“ Reg ard l es s

o f wh et h er t h e read i n g o f a n o ti ce co m p el s a d e f e n d a n t t o i n cri m i n at e h i m s el f, i t i s

n o t t h e read i n g o f t h e n o t ice t h at wo u l d co n s t it u t e a d u e p ro c e s s v i ol at i o n o r a

v i o l at i o n o f t h e ri g h t ag ai n st co m p el l ed s el f-i n cri m i n at i o n. In s tead

, i t i s t h e ad m i s s i o n

o f a co m p el l ed b reat h t es t t h at wo u l d am o u n t t o a co ns t i t u t i o n al v i o l at i o n .”).

7ri gh ts

, t h e p ro l o n g ed n at ure o f qu es t i o ni n g

, t h e u s e o f p h y s i cal

p u n i s h m en t

, an d t h e p s y ch o l o g i cal i m p act o f al l t h e s e f

act o rs o n th e

accu s ed . In d et erm i n i n g v o l un t ari n es s , n o s i n g l e fact o r i s co n tro l li n g

.

Dea n v. S t a t e

, 2 5 0 G a. 7 7

, 8 0 (2 ) (a) (2 9 5 SE2 d 3 0 6) (1 9 82 ) (ci t i n g S ch n eckl o t h v.

Bu s ta mo n t e , 4 1 2 U

. S. 2 1 8 , 2 2 7 (9 3 SCt 2 0 4 1 , 3 6 LE2 d 8 54 ) (1 9 7 3 )).

Here, t h e reco rd refl ect s t h at t h e t ri al co u rt co n s i dered t h e s e f a c t o rs in

co n cl u d in g t h at Berg s t ro m v o l u n t ari l y co n s en ted to the sta te

- a dm i nist ered b reat h t es t

.

S ee Ken d r i ck v. S ta te

, 3 3 5 Ga. Ap p

. 7 6 6, 7 6 9 (7 8 2 SE2 d 8 4 2 ) (2 0 16 ) (“ A co n s en t to

s earch wi l l n o rm al l y be h el d v o l u n t ary i f t h e to t al i t y o f t h e ci rcu m s t an ces fai l s to

s h o w t h at t h e o ffi cers u s ed fear, i n t im i d at io n

, t h reat o f ph y s i cal p u n is h m en t

, o r

l en g t h y d et en t i o n t o o b t ai n t h e co n s en t .” (ci tat i o n o m i t t ed )). Th e t ri al co u rt rev i ewed

each o f t h e afo rem en t i on ed fact o rs i n o p en co u rt

, ev en ack n o w l e d g i n g t h at

Berg s t ro m ’ s ag e “ wo rk ed i n h er fav o r” i n i ts o rd er den y i n g Berg st ro m ’s m o t i o n to

s u p p res s

. Th e reco rd fu rt h er d em o ns t rat es t h at th e t ri al co u rt rev i ewed th e act i o n s o f

t h e arres t i n g o ffi cer an d fo u n d t h at t h e arres t i n g o ffi cer act ed “ i n a p ro fes s i o n al an d

n o n -co erci ve m an n er t h ro u gh o u t h i s i n t eract i o ns wi t h [Berg s tro m ] .”

W h i l e it i s u n d is p ut ed t h at Berg st ro m was u p s et t h ro u g ho u t t h e en co u n t er, t h e

r eco rd

, i n cl u d i n g a v i d eo reco rd i n g o f Berg s t ro m ’ s en co u n t er wi t h t h e arre s t i n g

8o ffi cer, s u ffi ci en t l y d em o ns t rat es t h at s h e co n s en t ed to th e s t at e-ad m i n i st ered b reat h

t es t

. As t h e t ri al co u rt s ai d

, “ i t can n o t b e t h e law t h at ev ery t i m e a 1 7 y ear o l d i s read

i m p l i ed co n sen t t h at im

p li ed co n s en t i s

, p er s e, n o t u nd ers t o od an d co erci v e[

. ] ”

Acco rd in g ly , Berg s t ro m ’ s as ap p l i ed ch al l en g e m u s t al s o fai l

.

Becau s e t h e t ri al co u rt ’ s co n cl u s io n t hat Berg s t ro m v o l u nt ari l y co n s en t ed t h e

b reat h t es t

, h av i n g p ro perl y co n s i d ered al l rel ev an t fact o rs

, an d b ecau se t h e l an g u ag e

o f t h e i m p l ied co n s en t s t at u t e i s n o t co erci v e p er s e, Berg s t ro m ’ s faci al an d as ap p l i ed

ch al l en g es t o t he s t at u t e fai l . Acco rd i n g l y

, we affi rm t h e t ri al co urt ’ s o rd er d en y i n g

Berg s t ro m ’ s m o t i on t o s u pp res s an d affi rm h er co n vi ct i o n

.

Ju d g men t a f f i r m ed . El l i n g t o n , P. J., a n d Go b ei l , J., co ncu r

.

9