FI FTH DI VI SI ON

DI L LA RD, P. J.

, REESE and BETHEL, 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

Januar y 23, 2017



# I n th e Co u r t o f

A p p eals o f

G eo r g ia

A1 6 A1 86 5 . M CKIBBEN v

. THE STATE.

D I LLA R D , Pres i d i n g J u d g e.

Fo l l owi n g a s t i p u l at ed b en ch t ri al

, Ki rb y M cKi b b en was co n v ict ed o f d ri v i n g

u n d er t h e i n fl u en ce (p er s e), d ri v i n g u n d er t h e i nfl u en ce (l es s-s afe), d ri v in g wi t h o ut

h ead li g h t s , an d fai l u re t o m ai n t ai n l an e. 1 M cKi b b en ap peal s fro m h i s co n v i ct i o n s by

ch al l en g i n g th e t ri al co u rt ’ s d en i al o f h i s m o t i o n t o s u p p res s ev i den ce o bt ai n ed i n a

warran t l es s bl o o d t es t

. Sp eci fi cal l y , M cKi bb en arg ues t h at h e d i d n o t freel y an d

v o l u n t ari l y co n sen t t o t h e bl o o d t es t u n d er t h e s ta n d ard s et fo rt h recen t ly b y o u r

Su p rem e Co urt i n W

i l l i a ms v. S t a t e

. 2 Bu t b ecau s e th e t ri al co u rt pro p erl y co n s i d ered

1 M cKi b b en ’ s co n v i ct i on s fo r DUI l es s -s afe an d fai lu re t o m ai nt ai n l an e were

m erg ed fo r p u rp o s es o f s en t en ci n g wi t h h i s co n vi ct io n fo r DUI p er s e.

2 2 9 6 Ga. 8 1 7 (7 7 1 SE2 d 3 7 3 ) (2 0 1 5 ).t h e t ot al it y o f t h e ci rcu m s t an ces i n fi nd i ng th at M cKi b b en co n sen t ed t o t h e b lo o d t es t

,

we affi rm

.

On ap p eal fro m a ru l i ng o n a m o t i o n to s u p p r e s s , we co n st ru e t h e ev i d en ce

“ m o s t fav o rab l y t o affi rm i ng t h e t ri al co u rt ’ s fact u al fi n d i n gs an d ju d g m en t .” 3 In d eed

,

t h e t ri al co u rt ’ s d eci s i on wi th reg ard t o q u es t i o n s of fact an d cred i b i l i t y m u s t b e

accep t ed u nl es s cl earl y erro n eo u s

. 4 An d h ere, t h e part ies ap p ear t o ag ree on al l t h e

rel ev an t fact s an d ev i d en ce. Co n s eq u en tl y , we rev iew t h e t ri al co u rt ’ s ap p l i cat i o n o f

t h e l aw t o t h e fact s d

e n o vo , “ ex am i n in g th e en ti re reco rd an d m ak i n g an i n d ep en d en t

d et erm i n at i o n o f t h e u l t i m at e i s s u e o f v o lu n tari n es s .” 5

So v i ewed

, t h e ev i d en ce p res en t ed at t h e heari ng o n M cKi b ben ’ s m o t i o n to

s u p p r e s s es tab l i s h es t h at Ho l l y Sp ri n g s po l ice d i s p at ch recei v ed a cal l ab o u t a

p o s s i b l y i n t ox i cat ed d ri v er i n a m aro o n Sci o n , an d i n fo rm at i o n i n d i cat i n g t h e

v eh icl e’ s d i rect i on o f t rav el

. Th es e p art i cu l ars were t h en b ro ad cas t ov er t h e p o l i ce

rad i o an d

, s h o rt l y t h ereaf ter, a Ho ll y Sp ri n g s s erg ean t o b s erv ed a v eh icl e m at ch i n g

3 Br o o ks v. S t a t e , 2 85 Ga. Ap p . 6 2 4 , 6 2 6 (6 4 7 SE2 d 3 28 ) (2 0 0 7 ).

4 McAl l i st er

v. S ta t e , 3 2 5 Ga. Ap p . 5 8 3

, 5 8 3 (7 5 4 SE2 d 3 7 6 ) (2 0 1 4 ).

5 S t a t e v. F

u l g h u m , 2 6 1 Ga. Ap p. 5 9 4

, 5 9 4 (1 ) (5 8 3 SE2 d 27 8 ) (2 0 0 3 ) (p u n ct u at i o n o m i t t ed ).

2t h e d es cri p t i o n “ s werv i ng fro m l e f t t o r i g h t

. . . [an d ] cro s s i n g on e t i m e o v er t h e

cen t er d i v i der[.] ” Aft er in i t i at i ng a t raffi c s t o p, t h e s e r g e a n t ap p ro ach ed t h e d ri v er,

M cKi b ben

, an d i m

m ed i at el y s m el l ed a s t ro n g od o r o f an al co h o l i c b ev erag e co m i n g

fro m i n s i d e t h e v eh i cl e. T h e s erg ean t al s o n o t i ced t hat M cKi bb en ’ s ey es were g l azed

an d h i s s peech w as “ t h i ck -t o n g u ed .” Acco rd in g t o t h e s erg ean t

, M cKi b b en ’ s b o dy

reek ed o f an al co h o li c b ev erag e an d h e ap peared o ff b al an ce wh en ex i t i n g t h e v eh i cl e.

Nev ert h el es s , M cKi b b en ad am an t l y d en i ed co n s u m i ng al co h o l an d d ecl i n ed t o t ak e

an y fi el d -s o b ri et y

ev al u at i o n s

.

M cKi b b en ’ s d en i al s n o t w i t h s t an d i n g , t h e serg ean t pl aced h i m u n d er arres t o n

s u s p i ci o n o f d ri v in g u n d er t h e i n fl u en ce. M cKi b ben was al s o read t he i m p l i ed

co n sen t n o ti ce fo r s us p ect s 2 1 o r o v er fro m a p rep ared card

, wh i ch s t at ed as fo l l o w s :

Geo rg i a l aw req u ires y ou to subm i t t o s tat 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 th i s t es t i n g [,] y o u r Geo rg i a d ri v er’ s l i cen se o r pri v i l eg e t o d ri ve

o n t h e h i g h way s o f t h i s st at e wi l l b e s u s p en d ed fo r a m i n i m u m peri o d o f

o n e y ear. Y o ur refu s al t o s u b m i t t o t h at req u ired t es t i n g m ay b e o ffered

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

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

i n d i cat ed an al co h o l co n cen t rat i o n o f 0 .0 8 g ram s o r m o re, y ou r Geo rg i a

d ri v er’ s l i c e n 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 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

3t o t h e req ui red s t at e t es t [,] y o u are en t it l ed t o ad d i ti o n al ch em i cal t es t s

o f y ou r b lo o d

, b reat h

, u ri n e, o r o t h er b o d i ly s ub s 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 ni s t ered ch em i cal t es t of y o u r b lo od u nd e r th e

i m p l i ed co n s en t l aw? 6

M cKi b b en rep l ied “ y es , ” b u t d i d n o t a s k an y q u es t i o n s ab o u t t h e i m p l i ed -co n s en t

n o t i ce o r h i s ri gh t s , d i d n o t req u es t an at t o rn ey , an d n ev er i n d i cat ed an u n w i ll i n g n es s

t o h av e th e b lo o d s am

pl e t ak e n

. T h e s erg ean t t es ti fi ed t h at (1 ) n ei th er h e n o r

M cKi b ben ev er rai s ed t h ei r v oi ces d u ri n g t h i s en co u n ter, (2 ) t hei r co n v ers at i o n was

p o l i t e, an d (3 ) h e d i d n ot t hreat en M cKi b ben o r m ak e h im an y pro m i s es i n ex ch an g e

fo r g i v i n g co ns en t

.

Th ereaft er , t h e s erg ean t t ran s p o rt ed M cKi b ben to a fi re s tat i o n les s t h an o n e

m i l e away

. On ce t h ey arri v ed at t h e s t at i o n, M cKi b b en ’ s h an d cu ffs were rem o v ed an d

h e s u b m i t t ed to a b l o o d d raw by a q u al i fi ed fi refi g h t er. A c co rd i n g t o th e serg ean t

,

M cKi b ben u n ders t o o d wh at w as g o i n g on , ap p eared i n t el li g en t an d wel l -s p ok en , an d

6 Th e s p eci fi c l an g u ag e o f t h i s n o t i ce ap pears id en t i cal i n al l rel ev an t as p ect s

t o t he t ex t co n t ai n ed i n OCGA § 4 0 -5 -6 7

. 1 (b ) (2 ).

4“ was v ery co o p erat i v e th ro u gh o u t t h e en t i re en co u n t er.” Th e bl o o d t es t u l t i m a t el y

s h o wed t h at M cKi b b en ’ s b l o o d-al co h o l l ev el was ab o v e t he l eg al l i m i t

. 7

M cKi b b en lat er m o v ed t o s up p res s t he res u l t s o f h i s b l o o d t es t, arg u i ng t h at h i s

acq u ies cen ce to t he req u es t fo r a b l o o d d raw, fo l l o wi n g a read i n g o f t h e i m p l i ed

co n sen t n o t i c e , d i d n ot co n st i t u t e act ual co ns en t

. Th e t ri al co u rt d is ag reed

.

Sp eci fi cal l y , th e co urt co n cl u d ed t h at

, i n l i g ht o f W i l l ia ms v. S t a te

, 8 an d b as ed o n “ a

t o t al i t y o f t h e ci rcu m s tan ces ,” M cKi b b en v ol u n t ari l y co n s en ted t o hav in g hi s b l o o d

d rawn

. 9 I n d oi n g s o , t h e co u rt n o t ed t h at M cKi b ben ag reed t o t ak e t h e tes t aft er

h av in g b een read h is im

p li ed -co n s en t no t ifi cat i o n ; h i s b l oo d was t ak en w i t h i n o n e

h o u r o f t h e arres t an d t h e r efo re was n o t t h e res u l t o f a p ro l o n g ed det en t i o n ; t h e

s erg ean t d i d n ot t h reat en o r i n t i m i d at e M c K i b b en , n o r d i d h e p ro m i s e M cKi b b en

an y t h i n g ; t he s erg ean t d id n ot w i t h h o l d fo o d or d ri n k o r refu s e M cKi b b en u s e o f t h e

7 S e e O C G A § 4 0 -6 -3 9 1 (a) (5 ) (“ A p ers o n s h al l n o t d ri v e o r b e i n act u al

p h y s i cal co n t ro l o f an y m o v i n g v eh i cl e w h i l e[ ]

. . . [t ] h e p ers on ’ s al co h ol

co n cen t rat io n is 0 .0 8 g ram s o r m o re at an y t i m e wi t h i n t h ree h ou rs aft er s u ch d ri v i n g

o r b ei n g i n a c t u a l ph y s i cal co n t ro l fro m al co ho l co n s um ed b efo re s u ch d ri v i n g o r b ei n g i n act u al p h y s i cal co n t ro l en d ed [.] ”).

8 2 9 6 Ga. 8 1 7 (7 7 1 SE2 d 3 7 3 ) (2 0 1 5 ).

9 S ee i d

. at 8 2 1 (“ W h et h er a warran tl es s b lo od t es t o f a d ru n k -d ri v i n g s u s p ect
i s reas o n ab l e m

u s t b e d et erm i n ed cas e by cas e b as ed o n t h e t o t a l i ty o f t h e ci rcu m s t an ces

. ” (p u n ct u at i on o m i tt ed )).

5res t ro o m ; t h e serg ean t rem o v ed M cKi b b en ’ s h an d cu ffs to al l ow t he fi refi g h t er to

wi t h d raw t h e blood; a nd M c K ibb en wi l l i n g ly i nt eract ed wi t h th e fi refi g h t er co l l ect i n g

h i s b l o o d s am

p l e an d n ev er i n d i cat ed t hat t h e b lo o d draw wa s n o t f r e el y an d

v o l u n t ari l y

g i v en

.

On ap p eal

, M cKi b ben ch al l en g es t h e t ri al c o u r t ’s d en i al o f h is m o t i o n to

s u p p res s

. Al t h o ug h M cKi bb en ack n o w l ed g es t hat h e was read th e i m p l i ed -co n s en t

n o t i ce, acq u i es ced t o t h e b l o od d raw, an d s u b m i t t ed t o t h e t es t wi t h o u t res i s ten ce, h e

n ev ert h el es s co n t en ds th at

, un d er W i l l i a ms , t h i s i s i n s u ffi ci en t t o s h o w act ual co n s en t

an d ren der t h e s earch co n s t i t u t i o n al l y v al i d

. M cKi b b en fu r t h e r a r g ues t h at t h e

i m p l i ed -co n s en t n o ti ce fai l s t o i n fo rm d efen d an t s t h at t h ey m ay refu se t o co m p l y an d

t h at t h e t es t res u lt s co u l d b e u s ed ag ai n s t t h em i n a cri m i n al p ro s ecu t i o n , t hu s

n eg at i n g an y v o l u n tary co n s en t

. 1 0 W e d i sag ree as t o each o f t h es e co n t en ti on s

.

1 0 A l t h o u g h M cKi b b en ch al l en g es t h e i m pl i ed -co ns en t st at ut e as b ei n g

co erci v e, h e has n ev er di rect l y ch al l en g ed t h e co n s t i t u t i on al i t y o f t h e st at ut e, an d t h e

t ri al co u rt t h erefo re d i d n o t ad d res s an y co n s t i tu t i o n al co n cern s. Th us , we can n ei t h er

t ran s fer th e m at t er n o r r u l e o n t h e co n s ti t ut i o nal i t y o f t h e st at u t e. S ee Ken d r i ck v. S t a t e , 3 3 5 Ga. Ap p

. 7 6 6, 7 7 0 n .3 (7 8 2 SE2 d 8 4 2 ) (2 0 16 ). An d we t ak e t h i s

o p p o rt u ni t y t o , o nce ag ai n , o b s erv e t hat ou r Su prem e Co u rt h as prev i o u s l y u p h el d t h e i m p l i ed -co n s en t s t at u t e ag ai n s t a co ns t it u t i o nal ch al l en ge m u ch l i k e th e on e p o s i t ed

b y M c K i b b en

. S

ee Kl in k v. S t a t e , 2 7 2 Ga. 6 0 5

, 6 0 6 (1 ) (5 3 3 SE2 d 92 ) (2 0 0 0 ); s ee

a l s o Ken dr i ck

, 3 3 5 Ga. Ap p

. at 7 7 0 n

. 3 (m ak in g t h e sam e o b s erv at i o n ). Ad d it i o n al l y ,

as we recen t l y reco g n i zed i n Ken d r ick

, 33 5 G a. Ap p

. at 7 7 0 n

. 3

, al t h o u g h s u b s eq u en t
d ev el o p m en t o f th e l aw m ay h av e s u b s t an t ial l y ero ded Kl i n k’s an al y t i cal fo u n d at i o n,

6Hi s t ori cal l y , we co n s i d ered a defen d an t ’ s affi rm at i ve res po n s e t o t h e read i n g

o f t h e i m p l i ed -co n s en t n o t i ce as “ s u ffi ci en t to al l o w a s e a r c h o f h i s or h er b o d i l y

fl ui d s wi t h o u t fu rt h er i n q u i ry i n t o t h e v al i d it y o f t h e d efen d an t ’ s co n s en t .” 1 1

Ho wev er, i n W

i ll i a ms , o u r Su prem e C o u r t “ reject ed t h i s p er s e ru le au t o m at i cal l y

eq u at i n g an affi rm at i v e res p o n s e t o t h e i m pl i ed co n s en t n ot i ce wi t h act u al co n s en t to

co mp a r e Kl i nk

, 27 2 Ga. at 6 0 6 (1 ) (h o l di n g b as ed i n p art o n o bs erv at i o n t hat “ [t ] h e ri gh t t o refu s e t o su b m i t to s t at e ad m i n i s t ered t es t i n g i s n o t a co ns t i t u ti o nal ri g h t

, b ut

o n e creat e d b y t h e l eg i s l at u re”), wi t h W i l l i a m s , 2 9 6 Ga. at 8 1 9 -2 0 (h ol d i n g t h at

Fo u rt h Am en d m en t req u ires act u al co ns en t i n ab s en ce o f warran t o r o t h er ex cep t i on s

t o w arran t req u i rem en t), a n d Bi r ch f iel d v. No r t h D a ko t a ,

_

_ U.S.

_ _ (V) (C) (3 ), (VI) (1 3 6 SCt 2 1 6 0

, 1 9 5 LE2 d 5 6 0 ) (2 0 1 6 ) (h o l d i n g t h at b reat h t es t s , b u t n o t bl o o d t es t s ,

m ay be ad m i n i s t ered as a s earch in ci den t t o arres t fo r d ru n k d ri vi n g , b ut
ack n owl ed gi ng th at s earch es are reas o n ab l e wh en co n s en t i s o b t ai n e d

, a l t h o u g h

“ m o t o ri s t s can n o t b e d eem ed t o h av e co n s en ted t o s u b m i t t o a b l o o d t es t o n p ai n o f

co m m i t t i n g a cri m i n al o ffen s e”), i t n ev ert hel es s rem ai n s bi n di n g au t h o ri t y ov er t h i s Co u rt u n l es s an d u n t i l i t i s o v ert u rn ed b y o u r Su p rem e Co u rt

. See G A

. C O N S T
., art

. VI, § VI, ¶ VI (1 9 8 3 ) (“ Th e deci s i o n s o f t h e Su p r e m e C o u r t o f G eo rg i a s h al l b i n d al l

o t h er co u rt s as p reced en t s .”); W h o r t o n v. S t a te

, 3 2 1 Ga. Ap p. 3 3 5

, 3 3 9 (1 ) (7 4 1 SE2 d

6 5 3 ) (2 0 1 3 ) (h o ld i n g t h at “ v ert i cal st a r e d eci si s d ict at es th at we fai t h fu l ly ad h ere to

t h e p reced en t s es t ab l i s h ed b y t h e Su p rem e Co u rt o f Geo rg i a”); Bry an A. Garn er, et

a l

. , T H E L A W O F J U D I C I A L P R E C E D E N T 1 5 5 (“ W h en d eal i n g wi th b i n d i n g v ert i cal

p reced en t

, a co u rt h as n o ro o m t o d eci d e h ow m u ch wei g h t o r v al u e t o g i v e each

cas e.”).

1 1 Ken d r i ck

, 33 5 Ga. Ap p

. at 7 6 9; s ee, e.g

. , Mei kl ej o hn v. S t a t e , 2 8 1 Ga. Ap p. 7 1 2

, 7 1 4 (6 3 7 SE2 d 1 1 7) (2 0 0 6 ); S t at e v. Lewi s , 2 3 3 Ga. Ap p

. 39 0

, 3 9 2 (1 ) (5 0 4

SE2 d 2 4 2) (1 9 9 8).

7a s earch wi t h i n t h e m ean i n g o f t h e F o u r t h Am en d m en t.” 1 2 No w, we are ch arg ed

i n s t ead w i th co nd u ct i n g “ a cas e-b y -cas e an al y si s, co n s i d eri n g t h e t ot al i t y o f t h e

ci rcu m s t an ces

. ” 1 3

T h u s , M c Ki b b en is co rrect t h at

, u n d er W i ll i a ms , th e res u l t s o f a warran t l es s

b l o o d t es t are s u b

ject t o su p pres s i o n u n l es s t h e S t a t e e s t ab l i s hes th at t h e s u s p ect

freel y an d v o l un t ari l y co n s en ted t o t h e t es t. 1 4 An d a s us p ect ’ s m e r e acq u i es cen ce

u n d er t h e i m

p l i ed -co n s en t n o t i ce i s n ot en o u gh t o ren d er t he s earch co ns t i t u t i o n al l y

v al i d

. 1 5 Th at s ai d

, we h av e p rev i o u s ly cau t io n ed t h at W i l l i a ms s h o u ld n ot b e read as

i m p o s i n g “ a p er s e ru l e th at t h e St at e m u st al w ay s s ho w m o re t h an co n s en t u n d er t h e

i m p l i ed co ns en t s t at u t e.” 1 6 R a t h e r , we t ak e ou r Su p rem e Co u rt at i t s wo rd wh en i t

i n s t ru ct ed t ri al co u rt s t o “ rev i ew t h e t ot al i t y o f t h e ci rcu m s t an ces i n d et erm i n i n g

1 2 Ken d r i ck , 3 3 5 Ga. Ap p . at 7 6 9 ; s ee a ls o W il l i a m s , 2 9 6 Ga. at 8 2 1 -2 2

.

1 3 Ken d r i ck , 3 3 5 Ga. Ap p . at 7 6 9 ; s ee a ls o W il l i a m s , 2 9 6 Ga. at 8 2 1 -2 2

.

1 4 2 9 6 Ga. at 8 2 1 -2 2

.

1 5 See i d

. at 8 2 2 (“ [W ] h a t t h e cas es s eem to i n di cat e i s th at 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 irem en ts d o es no t

, p er s e, eq u at e t o a c t u al

, an d

t h erefo re v o l u nt ary , 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 n st i t u t io n al m an dat e o f a warran t.”); Ken d r i ck

, 3 3 5 G a

. Ap p

. at 7 6 9 (“ M ere

acq u ies cen ce t o t h e au th o ri t y as s ert ed b y a p o l ice o ffi cer can n o t s u b s t i t u t e fo r free

co n sen t .” (p u n ct u at io n o m i tt ed )).

1 6 Ken d r i ck , 3 3 5 Ga. Ap p . at 7 7 1

.

8co n sen t .” 1 7 Acco rd i n g l y , an affi rm at i v e res p on s e t o t he q ues t i o n p o s ed b y t h e

i m p l i ed -co n s en t l an g u ag e “ m ay b e s u ffi ci en t fo r a t ri al co urt t o fi n d act ual co n s en t

,

ab s en t reas o n t o b el i ev e t h e r e s p o n s e was in v o l u n tary .” 1 8 To pu t i t p l ai n l y , in

d et erm i n i n g t h e d em arcat i o n l i n e b et ween act ual co n s en t an d co erci o n , co n t ex t i s

cru ci al

. Th u s , i n o rd er t o as cert ai n w h et h er a s u sp ect freel y an d v o l u nt ari l y co n s en t ed

t o t h e t es t

, th e tri al co u rt m us t co n s id er t h e to t al i t y o f t he ci rcu m s t an ces su rro u n d i n g

h i s co n sen t

, i n cl u d in g (b u t n o t l i m it ed t o ) wh et her t h ere was an y t h reat or co erci o n

b y t h e o f f i c e r ; w h e t h er t h e s u s p ect was u n ab l e t o gi v e v al id co n s en t d u e t o (fo r

ex am p l e) h i s y o ut h o r l ack o f ed u cat i o n ; an d wh et h er a reas o n ab l e p ers o n wo u l d h av e

fel t free t o d ecl i n e t h e o ffi cer’ s req u es t. 1 9

In t h i s cas e, as i n Ken d

r i ck

, t h e ev i d en ce s i m

p l y d o es n o t s h o w t h at “ t h e

o ffi cers u s ed fear, i n t i m i d at i o n , t h reat o f p h y si cal p un i s hm en t , o r l en g t hy d et en t i o n

1 7 Id

.

1 8 Id

. at 77 1 -7 2

.

1 9 S ee i d

. at 7 6 9

, ci t i n g S

ch n eckl o t h v. Bu st a mo n t e , 4 1 2 U.S. 2 1 8

, 2 2 8 (II) (B) (9 3 SCt 2 0 4 1

, 3 6 LE2 d 85 4 ) (1 9 7 3 ); S t a t e v. Au st i n , 3 1 0 Ga. Ap p

. 8 1 4

, 8 1 7

- 1 8 (1 ) (7 1 4 SE2 d 6 7 1 ) (2 0 1 1 ); Cu a r es ma v. S t a t e , 2 9 2 Ga. Ap p

. 4 3

, 4 7 (2 ) (6 6 3 SE2 d 3 9 6 ) (2 0 0 8); S t a t e v. Du rr en ce , 2 9 5 Ga. Ap p. 2 1 6 , 2 1 8 (6 7 1 SE2 d 2 6 1) (2 00 8 ).

9t o o b t ai n t h e co n s en t

. ” 2 0 No r d o es M cKi b b en arg u e th at y o u t h, l ack o f ed u cat i o n , o r

l o w i nt el l i g en ce s om eh o w n eg at ed t h e vo l u n t ari n es s o f hi s co n s en t

. 2 1 Rat h er,

M c K i b b en arg u es t h at h e d i d n o t freel y an d v o l u nt ari l y co n s en t t o t h e b l o o d t e s t

b ecau s e (1 ) t h e l an g u ag e o f t h e i m p li ed -co n s en t n o ti ce m ad e h i m feel as t h o u g h h e

h ad no ch o i ce b u t t o acq u i es ce an d (2 ) h e was n ot i nfo rm ed t h at hi s b l o od -t es t res u l t

co u ld b e u s ed ag ai ns t h im in a cri m i n al p ro s ecu t i o n

. Bu t we h av e a l r e a d y r eject ed

t h es e arg u m en t s i n o t her cas es

. 2 2 In d eed

, as we h av e p rev i ou s l y ex p l ai n ed

, wh i l e

k n o wl ed g e o f t h e ri g h t t o refu s e co n s en t is o n e fact o r t o b e t ak en i n t o acco u n t , “ t h e

g o v ern m en t n eed n o t es t ab li s h s u ch k n o wl ed g e a s t h e s i n e qu a n o n o f an effect i v e

co n sen t .” 2 3

Here, t h e reco rd s ho ws t h at M cKi b b en g av e an affi rm at i v e an s wer t o t h e

q u es ti o n p o s ed b y

t h e i m p l i ed -co n s en t lan g u ag e, an d h e nev er at t em p t ed t o ch an g e

2 0 Ken d r i ck , 3 3 5 Ga. Ap p . 7 6 9 (p u n ct uat i o n o m i t ted ).

2 1 S ee i d

.

2 2 S ee i d

. at 7 6 9 -7 1 (h o l d i n g t h at t h e i m p l i ed -co n s en t n o ti ce i s n o t co erci v e in

fai l i n g t o i n fo rm s u s p ect o f h er ri g h t t o refu s e); S t a te v. Oyen i yi

, 3 3 5 G a. Ap p . 5 7 5,

5 7 8 (7 8 2 SE2 d 4 7 6) (2 0 1 6 ) (h o l d i n g t h at th e i m p l ied -co n s en t n o ti ce i s n o t m i s l ead i n g

o r an o vers t at em en t o f t he l en g t h o f s u s p en s i on au t h o ri zed b y l aw).

2 3 Ken d r i ck

, 3 3 5 Ga. Ap p

. at 7 69 (p u nct u at i o n o m i t t ed ) (q u o t i n g Sch n eckl o t h

, 4 1 2 U.S. at 2 27 (II) (B)).

10t h at an s we r d u r i n g t he t i m e t h at el ap s ed p ri o r t o t es t i n g. M cKi b b en al s o d i d n ot

ap p ear to b e i m

p ai red to t he ex t en t t h at h e d id no t u n d ers t an d wh at was b ei n g as k ed

,

h e d i d n o t ex p res s an y o bject i o n t o t h e t es t, an d t h e o ffi cer d i d no t fo rce hi m t o t ak e

t h e t es t. Th u s , u p o n t h i s p art i cu l ar reco rd

, “ an d co n s i d eri ng al l o f t h e fact s b efo re u s ,

an d affo rd i n g ap p ro p ri at e d eferen ce t o t h e t ri al co u rt t h at h eard th e tes t i m on y fi rs t

h an d,” 2 4 we affi rm th e t ri al co u rt ’ s d en i al o f M cKi b b en ’ s m o t i o n t o s u p p res s

.

Ju d g men t a f f i r m ed . Rees e a nd

Bet h el , JJ., co n cu r

.

2 4 Id

. at 77 2

.

11