J - S62 010 - 17

NON - PRECEDENTIAL DECISION - SEE SUPERIOR COURT I.O.P. 65.37 COMMONWEATLH OF PENN SYLVANIA IN THE SUPERIOR COURT OF PENNSYLVANIA Appellee v. RANDY SCOTT GLASS Appellant No. 317 MDA 2017 Appeal from the Judgment of Sentence e ntered January 17 , 2017 In the Court of Common Pleas of Lancaster County Criminal Division at No: CP - 36 - CR - 000 - 2191 - 2016 BEFORE: STABILE, MOULTON, and STRASSBURGER, * JJ. MEMORANDUM BY STABILE, J.: FILED DECEMBER 21, 2017 Appellant, Randy Scott Glass, appeals from the January 17, 2017 judgment of sentence imposing six months of probation plus fines and court costs for driving under the influence of alcohol and driving with an open alcoholic beverage container. 1 We affirm. The trial court’s opinion sets forth the pertinent facts: In the instant case, witness James McMahan, testified that [Appellant] appeared at the door of Mr. McMahan’s residence on April 9 , 2016, at approximately 7:30 p.m. with bloodshot, red eyes. After speaking with [Appellant] and directing him to leave the property, Mr. McMahan contacted the police. Officer Troy Rogers and Officer Phillip Eck of the Manor Township Police testified tha t they received a dispatch to Mr. McMahan’s property at approximately 7:34 p.m. on April 9, 2016 and arrived at the

_________________ ____________________ _______ * Retired Senior Judge assigned to the Superior Court. 1 75 Pa.C.S.A. §§ 3802(a)(1) and 3809(a), respectively.J - S62 010 - 17

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residence about four (4) minutes later. Upon arriving Officer Rogers observed [Appellant] sitting in the driver’s seat of the vehicle, whic h was parked in the driveway of Mr. McMahan’s residence. Upon approaching [Appellant] within his vehicle, Officer Rogers testified that he could smell the odor of alcohol coming from within the vehicle, that he observed [Appellant] fumble with his wallet to retrieve his identification and that [Appellant] was slurring his speech and had bloodshot eyes. Officer Eck also testified that [Appellant] was slurring his speech and that there was an odor of alcohol coming from the vehicle. Officer Eck further te stified that he could tell, based on his training and experience, that the odor was that of alcohol after it has been metabolized, when it emanates from the body and not from a container. Officer Rogers testified that a glass tumbler was observed in the c enter console of the vehicle with a tan liquid inside of it as well as a partially emptied bottle of tequila and an empty Corona beer bottle behind the driver’s seat of the vehicle. [Appellant] refused to exit the vehicle when asked three (3) times and it took two (2) officers to forcibly remove him from the vehicle. After being removed from the vehicle, [Appellant] staggered and had trouble holding himself up while walking. [Appellant] was not asked to complete field sobriety tests because [Appellant] d id not appear as if he could safely complete those tests due to his inability to walk and maintain his balance. Both Officer Rogers and Officer Eck have training in the detection of persons under the influence of alcohol. Both officers testified that th eir training and experience led them to the conclusion that [Appellant] was under the influence of alcohol to the extent that he could not safely operate a motor vehicle. When asked, [Appellant] admitted that he drove to Mr. McMahan’s residence and had ar rived only a few minutes before. While [Appellant] did not state a specific time that he arrived at Mr. McMahan’s residence, he did indicate that it was at some time after 7:00 p.m. [Appellant] claimed that he purchased the bottle of tequila on his way to Mr. McMahan’s residence, but had not had anything to drink prior to arriving or prior to speaking with Mr. McMahan. [Appellant] stated that it was only after speaking with Mr. McMahan and returning to its vehicle that he opened, poured, and began sippi ng on the tequila. [Appellant] testified that he only had a few sips of tequila and does not chug drinks.J - S62 010 - 17

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Trial Court Opinion, 4/4/17, at 5 - 7 (footnotes omitted). The incident occurred on Apr i l 9, 2016. Appellant proceeded to a bench trial on January 17, 2017 . The court found Appellant guilty of the aforementioned issues, imposed sentence as set forth above, and this timely appeal followed. Appellant challenges the sufficiency of the evidence in support of both convictions, arguing the Commonwealth failed to prove that he was intoxicated while driving or that he drove with an open container. The applicable standard of review is as follows: When evaluating a sufficiency claim, our standard is whether, viewing all the evidence and reasonable infere nces in the light most favorable to the Commonwealth, the factfinder reasonably could have determined that each element of the crime was established beyond a reasonable doubt. This Court considers all the evidence admitted, without regard to any claim tha t some of the evidence was wrongly allowed. We do not weigh the evidence or make credibility determinations. Moreover, any doubts concerning a defendant's guilt were to be resolved by the factfinder unless the evidence was so weak and inconclusive that n o probability of fact could be drawn from that evidence. Commonwealth v. Kane , 10 A.3d 327, 332 (Pa. Super. 2010), appeal denied , 29 A.3d 796 (Pa. 2011). Section 3 802 of t he Motor Vehicle Code forbids an individual to “drive, operate, or be in actual p hysical control of the movement of a vehicle” while intoxicated. 75 Pa.C.S.A. § 3802(a). Section 3809 forbids “an individual who is an operator or occupant in a motor vehicle” to possess an open alcoholic beverage container. 75 Pa.C.S.A. § 3809(a). App ellant argues the evidenceJ - S62 010 - 17

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is insufficient because the Commonwealth failed to prove that he opened the containers or consumed any alcohol until after he parked his vehicle. We have reviewed the trial court’s opinion, the applicable law, the parties’ brie fs, and the record. We conclude that the trial court’s April 4, 2017 opinion accurately addresses Appellant’s arguments, and we affirm on the basis of that opinion. In particular, we note that the trial court, sitting as finder of fact, found Appellant’s testimony not credible. Furthermore, police officers arrived on the scene within minutes of McMahan’s call, and the trial court credited their testimony that Appellant was already intoxicated and that he smelled of metabolized alcohol. The standard of r eview requires us to defer to the fact finder’s credibility determinations and draw all reasonable inferences in favor of the Commonwealth, as verdict winner. We direct that a copy of the trial court’s opinion be filed along with this memorandum. Judgme nt of sentence affirmed. Judgment Entered. Joseph D. Seletyn, Esq. Prothonotary Date: 12/21/2017Circulated 11/27/2017 02:34 PM . · . . · . · · . · . : . '

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. . o n J anu ary 1 7 , 2 0 ( 7 . D e f e n d ant ' s a ggr e g at e s e nt e n c e i s s i x ( 6 ) m o nth s o f p ro b ati o n , fi n e s an d . c o s t s an d o th e r re l e v ant c o n d i ti o n s . 6 O n F e b ru ary 1 6 , 2 0 . 1 7 , D e f en d ant fi l e d a N o ti c e o f Ap p e a l an d p urs u ant t o P a . R . A . P . I 9 2 5 ( b ) O r d e r , D e f e n d ant fil e d a C o n ci s e S t at e m e nt o f E rr o r s C o mp l a in e d o f o n . Ap p e a l o n M ar c h 9 , 2 0 1 7 . D e f e n d ant c h a ll e n g e s h i s c o nv i ct i o n s fo r dri v in g un d e r th e in flu e n c e o f a l c o h o l an d fo r v i o l ati o n s o f

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p p e ll at e c o urt mu s t r e v i e w a ll o f th e e v i d e n ce an d a ll r e a s o n ab l e in fe r e n c e s drawn th e re fro m · i n th e l i ght m o s t fav o rab l e t o th e C o mm o nw e al th , as th e v e rd i c t w i nn e r . E v i d e n c e wi ll 

### be d e e m e d t o s u p p o rt · th e v e rd i ct wh e n i t e s tab l i s h e s ea c h e l e m e nt o f th e c rim e c h arg e d an d th e c o mm i s s i o n th e r e o f b y th e a cc us e d , b e y o n d a re as o n ab l e d o ub t. T h e C o mm o nw e a l th n e e d n o t p r e c lu d e e v e ry p o s s ib ili ty o f i nn o c e n c e o r 3 7 5 P a . C . S . A . § 3 8 0 2 ( a) ( l ) . 4 1 8 P a . C . S . A . § 3 5 0 3 (b ) ( l ) (i ) . 5 7 5 P a . C . S . A . § 3 8 0 9 ( a) . 6 S e e, S e nt e n c i n g O rd e r , 1 / 1 7 / 1 7 ; S e nt e n ci n g C o n di ti o n s O rd er ; 1 / 1 7 / 1 7 . 7 S e e, D e fe n d ant ' s C o n c i se S tat e m e nt o f E rro rs C o mp l ai n ed o f o n Ap p e a l , 3 / 9 / 1 7 , 

### 1 I · II . 2e s t ab li s h th e d e f e n d ant ' s gu il t t o a m ath e m at i c a l c e rta inty . F i n al l y , th e tri e r o f fa c t wh i l e p as s i n g u p o n th e c re dib ili ty o f w i tn e s s e s an d th e w e i ght o f th e e v i d e n c e p ro d u c ed , i s fr e e t o b e li e v e a ll , p art o r n o n e o f th e e v i d e n c e . 

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### T a rra c h , 4 2 A . 3 d 3 4 2 , 3 4 5 ( P a . S u p e r . 2 0 1 2 ) . Any d o ub t s as t o gu il t ar e t o b e r e s o l v e d b y th e fa c t - fi n d e r " un l e s s th e e v i d e n c e i s s o w e ak an d in c o n c lu s i v e that , as a m att e r o f l aw , n o p r o b ab ili ty o f fa c t c an b e dr awn fr o m th e c o mb i n ed c i rc um s t an c e s . " 

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### I . D ri v i n g Un d e r I n flu e n c e o fA lc o h o l - G e n e r a l I mp a i rm e nt A s t o th e c h arg e o f dri v i n g un d e r th e i n flu e n c e o f al c o h o l w i th a g e n e r al i mp a i rm e nt , th e C o mm o nw e a l th mu s t p r o v e that " th e a c c u s e d w as dri v i n g , o p e r at in g , o r i n a c tu al p hy s i c al c o ntro l o f th e m o v e m e nt o f a v e h i c l e d urin g th e ti m e wh e n h e o r s h e w as r e n d e r e d i n c a p ab l e o f s a f

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p o n th e wi tn e s s ' o b s e rv ati o n . . . an d wh e r e th e w i tn e s s c an o p i n e as t o wh e th e r th e d e fe n d ant w as drunk . " 

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a n , 6 5 2 A . 2 d 9 2 5 , 9 2 8 ( P a . S u p e r , 1 9 9 5 ) . E v i d e n c e o f i nt o xi c at i o n m ay i n c lu d e , b ut i s n o t li m i t e d t o , th e 3. ' 

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e n s e , i t " p r o v i d e s n o s p e ci fi c r e s tr a i nt u p o n th e C o mm o nw e a l th in th e m ann e r i n wh i c h i t m ay p ro v e th at an a c c u s ed o p e r at ed a v e h i cl e un d e r th e in flu e n c e o f a lc o h o l t o a d e gr e e wh i c h r e n d e r e d h im i n c a p ab l e o f s a fe dri v i n g . " 

### I d . Th e C o mm o nw e a l th ' s ab ili ty t o ut ili ze wh o ll y c i r c um s tanti al e v i d e n c e a p p li e s n o t o n ly t o d e t e rm i n i ng wh e th e r th e d e f e n d ant w as i nt o x i c at e d t o th e e xt e nt th at h e o r s h e w as r e n d e r e d i n c a

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### W

illi a m s, 8 7 1 A . 2 d 2 5 4 , 2 5 9 (P a . S u p e r . 2 0 0 5 ) . S u c h d e t e rm i n ati o n i s m a d e b a s e d u p o n th e t o ta li ty o f th e c i r c um s tan c es 

### (

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### v , T e e m s, 7 4 A . 3 d at 1 4 5 ) . I t h as b e e n n o t e d th at " o ur j uri s p ru d e n c e d o e s n o t r e qu i r e fa c t - fi n d e rs t o s u s p e n d th e i r p o w e rs o f l o g i ca l r e as o n i n g o r c o mm o n s e n s e in th e a b s e n c e . o f d i r e c t e v i d e n c e " b ut p e rm i t s th e m t o m ak e " re as o n ab l e i n fe re n ce s fro m c i r c um s tanti al e v i d e n ce i ntr o d

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m e t ab o li z e d , wh e n i t e m an at e s fr o m th e bo dy an d n o t fr o m a c o nt ai n e r . 1 4 O f fi c e r Ro g e r s t e s t i fi e d th at a g l a s s tumb l e r w a s o b s e rv e d i n th e c e nt e r c o n s o l e o f th e v e h i c l e w i th a 

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e n d ant r e fu s ed t o e x i t th e v e h i c l e wh e n a s k e d thr e e ( 3 ) ti m e s an d i t t o o k. tw o ( 2 ) o ffi c e rs t o fo rc ib l y r e m o v e h i m fr o m th e v e h i cl e . 1 6 A ft e r b e i n g r e m o v e d fro m th e v e h i c l e , D e f e n d ant s ta g g e r ed an d h a d tr o ub l e h o l di n g 

### h i m s e l fu p wh il e w a l ki n g . 1 7 D e f

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### in th e d e t e c ti o n o f p e rs o ns



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### Mr . M c lvl ah an ' s r e s i d e n c e an d h a d arri v e d o n ly a f e w m i nut e s b e fo r e . 2 1

1 4 N . T . , C ri m i nal T ri al , 11 1 7 / 1 7 , p p . 4 1 -4 2 , 

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## cw . E x . 6 ; 

## cw . E x . 7 ; 

## cw . E x . 9 . 1 6 N . T . , C ri m i nal T ri al , 1/ 1 7 / 1 7 , p p . 2 1 - 2 3 , 4 7 -4 8 . 1 7 N . T . , C ri m in al T ri al , 1 / 1 7 / 1 7 , p p . 2 3 - 2 4 , 4 8 . 1 8 N . T . , C ri m in al T ri al , 1/ 1 7 / 1 7 , p p . 2 4 · 2 5 , 3 5 . 1 9 N . T . , C rim in al T ri al , 1/ 1 7 / 1 7 , 

## pp . 1 4 , 2 8 , 4 0 - 4 2 . 2 0 N . T . , C rim in al T ri al , 1 / 1 7 / 1 7 , p p . 1 8 , 2 2 · 2 3 , 2 4 , 5 2 , 5 5 . 2 1 N . T . , C rim i nal T ri al , 1/ 1 7 / 1 7 , p p . 1 8 , 2 1. 6

# . Wh il e D e f e n d ant d i d n o t s t at e a s p e c i fi c t i m e th at h e arri v e d at 

### Mr . M c M ah an ' s r e s i d e nc e , h e d i d i n di c at e th at 

### ii w a s at s o m e tii:n e a ft e r 7 : 0 0 p . m . 2 2 D e f e n d ant c l a i m e d th at h e p urc h a s e d th e b o ttl e o f t e qu i l a o n h i s w ay t o 

### Mr . M c M ah an ' s r e s i d e n c e , b ut h a d n o t h ad anythi n g t o dri nk p ri o r t o arri v i n g o r p ri o r t o s p e aki n g w i th . 

### Mr . M c M ah an . 2 3 D e f e n d ant t e s ti fi e d th at i t w as o n l y aft e r s p e akin g w ith 

### Mr . M c lvl ah an an d r e turn in g t o h i s v e h i c l e th at h e o p e n e d , p o ur ed an d b e g an s ip p i n g o n th e t e qu il a . 2 4 D e fe n d ant t e s ti fi e d th at h e o n ly h a d a f e w s ip s o f

th e t e qu il a an d d o e s n o t c hu g drinks . 2 5 T h e t e s ti m o ny o utl in e d a bo v e cl e arly in d ic at e s th at D e f e n d ant _. o p e r at e d h i s v e h ic l e . d uri n g th e ti m e wh e n h e o r s h e w a s re n d e r e d i n c a pab l e o f s a f

e l y d o i n g s o · d u e t o th e c o n s ump ti o n o f a l c o h o l. I mm e di at e ly u p o n arri v in g at 

### Mr . M c M ah an ' s r e s i d e n c e , D e f

e n d ant w a s e xh ib i t i n g s i gn s o f. b e i n g � nt o x i c at ed as t e s t i fi e d t o my · 

### Mr . M c M ah an . M e r e m i nut e s l at e r , D e f e n d ant w a s o b s e rved b y o f fi c e r s t o b e e xh ib i ti n g o th e r c l e ar s i gn s o f b e i n g h i gh l y i nt o x ic at e d , · i n clu di n g h av i n g b l o od s h o t ey e s , s lurri n g h i s s p e e c h , e m i tti n g th e s m e ll o f a lc o h o l , s ta g g e ri n g an d s tru g g li n g t o m a i nt a i n h i s b al an c e . A ll o f thi s w as 

### o b s e rv e d m e r e m i nut e s aft e r D e f e n d ant h a d a dm i tt e dly b e e n dri v i n g . Th e t e s ti m o ny o f O f fi c e r Ro g e rs , · O f

fi c e r E c k an d 

### Mr .

2 2 N . T . , C ri m i n al T ri al , 1/ 1 7 / 1 7 , p p . 6 3 , 6 5 . 2 3 N . T . , C ri mi n al T ri al , 1/ 1 7 / 1 7 , p p . . 6 3 - 6 5 , 7 2 , 7 6 , 8 0 . 2 4 N . T . , C ri m in a l T ri al , 11 1 7 / 1 7 , p p . 6 8 - 6 9 . 2 5 N . T . , C ri mi na l T ri al , 11 1 7 / 1 7 , p . 6 9 . 7M c M ah an w asf o un d t o b e c r e dib l e , wh i l e th e t e s ti m o ny o fD e fe n d ant w as fo un d t o b e n o t c r e dib l e . I t i s s i mp l y ill o g i c a l an d unr e a s o n a b l e t o b e li e v e th atw i th i n a f e w

. 

### . m i nut e s , D e fe n d ant b e c am e int o x i c at e d t o th e l e v e � at wh i c h h e � a s o b s e rv e d h av i n g o n ly t ak en a fe w s ip s o f

t e qu il a . I t i s c l e ar , b e y o n d a r e as o n ab l e d o ub t , th atD e f e n d ant o p e r at e d h i s v e h i c l e d

uri n g th � ti m e wh e n h e o r s h e w a s r e n d e r e d i n c a p ab l e _ o f s a fe ly d o in g s o d

u e t o th e c o ns ump ti o n o f a l c o h o l . · 

### II . . Re s tri c ti o n s o n A l c o h o li c B e v e r a g e s Th i s o ff e n s e i s d e fi n e d a s fo ll o w s :

. ( a) G e n e ra l 

### ru l e . v - E x c ep t a s s e t f orth in s ub s e c ti o n 

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### c o nta in e r o r c o n s um e a c o ntro l l e d s ub s t an c e .. � s d e fi n e d 

## in th e , a c t o f Ap ri l 1 4 , 1 9 7 2 · (P . L . 2 3 3 ,

·N o . 6 4 ) , kn o wn 

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### in a m o t o r v e h i c l e wh il e th e · m o t o r v e h i cl e i s l o c at ed o n a h i ghw ay 

# in th i s C o mm o nw e a l th . 7 5 P a . C . S . A . 

### § 3 8 0 9 ( a) ( fo o tn o t e o m i tt ed) . T e s ti m o ny an d e v i d e n c e at tri a l re v eal e d b e y o n d a r e a s o n ab l e d o u b t th at D e fe n d ant p o s s e s s e d a p arti al l y e mp t i e d c o nt a i n e r o f t e qu il a an d an e mp ty b e e r · c o ntai n e r i n h i s v e h i c l e wh il e l o c at ed o n a h i g hw ay in th i s C o mm o nw e a l th . 

### A s s t at e d a b o v e , th e al c o h o li c b e v e ra g e c o nt a i n e rs w e r e o b s e rv ed 

### in D e f e n d ant ' s v e h i c l e , wi th D e fe n d ant p r e s e nt , m e r e m i nut e s a ft e r D e f e n dant w as a dm i tt e dly dri v i n g o n p ub li c r o a dw ay s . 2 6 D e fe n dant ' s t e s ti m o ny th at h e di d n o t o p e n th e b o � l e · o f t e qu i l a until

2 6N . T . , C ri mi n al T � i al , 1/ 1 7 / 1 7 , p p . 1 8 - · i 9 , 2 1 , 6 3 , 6 5 � C W . E x . 6 ; C W . E x . 7 ; C W . E x . 9 . 8a ft e r h e w as p ark e d in 

### Mr . M c lvl ah an ' s dri v e w ay w a s n o t c r e d ib l e fo r th e r e as o n s

s t at e d ab o v e . F urth e rm o r e , D e f e n d ant h i m s e l f di d n o t c o nt e s t th e e x i s t e n c e o f th e o p e n an d e mp ty b e e r b o ttl e i n h i s v e h i c l e at th e ti m e h e w a s dri v i n g an d d e n i e d o p e n i n g i t o r c o n s um i n g i t a ft e r h i s arri v al . 2 7 De f e n d ant ' s t e s t i m o ny th at h e d i d n o t kn o w th e b e e r b o ttl e w as in th e v e h i cl e d e s p i t e i t s p r e s e n c e di r e c tly b e s i d e th e t e qui l a b o ttl e th at h e a dm i tt e d l y p l a c e d i n th e v e h i cl e an d al l e g e d l y o p e n e d a ft e r th e v e h i c l e w as n o l o n g e r m o v i n g w a s n o t c r e dib l e . 2 8 Th e r e fo r e , i t i s c l e ar , b e y o n d a r e a s o n ab l e d o ub t , th at D e f

e n d ant p o s s e s s e d a p arti a lly e mp t i e d c o nt a in e r o f t e qu il a an d an e mp ty b e e r c o nta i n e r in h i s v e h ic l e wh il e l o c at e d o n a h i ghw ay in th i s C o mm o nw e a l th . F o r al l th e fo r e g o i n g r e a s o n s , th e j u d gm e nt o f s e nt e n c e i mp o s e d o n 

### J anuary 1 7 , 2 0 1 7 s h o ul d n o t b e di s tur b e d . B Y THE C O � �

� � H O WARD F . KNI S E L Y 

### JUD G E A IT E S T : C o p i e s t o : K an e P o dr az a, E sq . , A s s i s tant Pu b li c D e fe n d er O ffi c e o f th e D i s tri c t Att o rn e y n u c 

### z -t ;< 2 7 N . T . , Cri m i nal T ri al , 1 / 1 7 / 1 7 , p p . 72 - 73 . -e 2 8 N . T . , C ri m i nal T ri a l , 1 / 1 7 / 1 7 , p p . 6 3 - 6 5 , 6 8 - 6 9 , 7 6 , 8 0 ; C W . Ex . 6 ; C W . E x . 9 . :t> 9