1 ... S eeTe x. R. App . P. 47. 4. 

## COURT OF APPEALS SECOND DISTRICTOFTEXAS FORT WORTH
NO . 2- 07-438- CR
T E R R Y W AY NE P AT T E R S ON AP P E L L ANT V . TH E STA TE O F TEXA S STA TE

----- ----- -- FR O M THE 43RD DI STRI CT CO URT O F PARKERCO UN TY

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### M E M ORANDU M OP I NI ON 1

----- ----- -- A ppel l antTer ry W a yne Patt er son chal l enges t he l egal and f act ual
s u f f ic ie n c yo ft h e e v id e n c e t o s u p p o rth is c o n v ic t io n f o rf e lo n yd r iv in g w h ile i n t o x i c a t e d . We a f f i r m.2 Back gr ound C h e r ib a H e lik e rt e s t if ie d t h a ts h e w a s d r iv in g o n a r u r a l, t w o -la n e ro a d in th e n i g h tti m e w h e n sh e o b se rve d A p p e l l a n t’ s o n c o m i n g c a r a p p roa c h i n g w i th i t s headl i ghts of f . S he sai d A ppel l ant sw erved i n and out of hi s l ane. H el i ker t es t i f i ed t hat a t i r e on A ppe l l ant ’ s ca r bl ew out , and H el i ke r sw erved i nt o t he b a r d i tch to a v o i d a c o l l i sion . S h e sa i d th a t sh e m a d e a u -t u rn, c a u g h tu p to A ppel l ant ’ s vehi cl e— w hi ch w as goi ng t en t o f i f t een m i l es perhourand w as “s t i l l s w ervi ng a l l ove rt he r oad ”— t ur ned on h erf l as her s, an d s t art ed honk i ng herhor n. Appel l antev ent ual l y s t oppe d i n a ga s st at i on pa r ki ng l ot , gotoutof hi s ca r , and app r oac hed H el i ke r ’ s veh i cl e. Hel i ke rs ai d t hatA ppe l l ant“j us tke pt
m u m b lin g a n d ra m b lin g o n ,” h is s p e e c h w a s s lu r r e d , a n d h e s m e lle d o fa lc o h o l. H el i ke rca l l ed 911 , an d Appel l a n t b e g a n t o w al k a w ay dow n t he r oad , st agger i ng “pr et t y bad[ l y] ” as he w ent . H el i kerconcl uded t hatA ppel l antw as in t o x ic a t e d b a s e d o n t r a in i n g s h e h a d re c e iv e d f r o m t h e T e x a s A lc o h o lic B e v e ra g e C o m m i s s i o n w h e n s h e w o rk e d fo r a c o n v e n i e n c e s to re . S ta rr Jackson , w ho w as r i di ng as H el i ker ’ s passenger , al so t est i f i ed, and her te s ti m o n yi s e s s e n ti a l l yth e s a m e a s H e l i k e r’s . R e n o P o l i c e O ffice r J a k e S u l l i v a n te s ti fi e d th a t h e re s p o n d e d to H e l i k e r’s
ca l l . He f ound A ppe l l ants t and i ng nex t to a p ay phonei n t he gass t at i on par ki ng l ot . O f f i ce rSul l i van s ai d t hat A ppe l l ant ’ s sp ee ch w as sl ur r ed and s l ow ,3

h is e y e s w e r e b l o o d s h o ta n d w a t e r y , h e w a s s w a y in g a s h e s t o o d , a n d h is b re a th s m e l l e d s tro n g l yo f a l c o h o l . A notherof f i cer — C or por al C ol by Lang f or d— adm i ni s ter ed t he hor i zont al g a z e n y s t a g m u s t e s t . C o r p o r a l L a n g f o r d t e s t if ie d t h a tA p p e lla n te x h ib it e d s ix out ofsi x possi bl e cl ues ofi nt oxi cat i on. A ppel l antr ef used t o per f or m t he onel eg- st and t es tan d t he w al k- and

- t ur n t es t . Cor por al La n g fo rd s ai d t hathe at t em pt ed t o adm i ni st era port abl e br eat hal ysert est , butA p p e ll a n tf i r st pr et ended t hathe coul d not bl ow t hr oug h t he br eat hal yser t ube and t hen bl ew t he t ubeof ft he dev i ce . Upon A p p e l l ant ’ s t hi r d a t t em ptt o bl ow i nt o t he br eat hal yser , t he devi ce i ndi cat ed t hathe had con sum ed al coho l i c bever ages. C orp o ra l L angfor d t est i f i ed t hatA ppel l antt ol d hi m he had con sum ed t hr ee b e e r s . C o r p o r a l L a n g f o r d a r r e s t e d Ap p e l l a n t f o rd r i v i n g wh i l e i n t o x i c a t e d . At t he cou nt y j ai l , A ppe l l antr ef us ed t o s ubm i tt o a not he r b re a thal ys ert es t , an d C o rp o ra l L a n g fo rd o b ta i n e d a s e a rc h w a rra n t to d ra w a s a m p l e o f A p p e l l a n t’s bl ood . C or por al Langf or d t est i f i ed i n consi der abl e det ai l t hatA ppel l antw as b e l l i g e re n t, c o m b a ti v e , a n d u n c o o p e ra ti v e th r o u g h o u t th e e n ti re e n c o u n te r; a m o n g o th e r th i n g s , A p p e l l a n t s c re a m e d , sp a t, h e a d -b u tte d th e c a m e ra
m o u n te d i n L a n g fo rd ’sp a tro l c a r, a n d th re a te n e d to u ri n a te i n th e c a r. Lor iW hi t m ar sh, a m edi cal t echno l ogi stat W eat her f or d R egi onal M edi cal C ent er , t es t i f i ed t hats he dr ew A ppe l l a n t’sbl ood. Raym ond W al l er , t he4

m anageroft he D e p a rt m entofPub l i c Safet y C r i m e Labor at or y i n A bi l ene, t est i f i ed t hathe anal yzed t he bl ood sam pl e dr aw n by W hi t m ar sh and t hat A p p e l l a n t’ s b l o o d co n tai n e d .2 2 g ram s o f al c o h o l p e r 1 0 0 m i l l i l i ters, o r cl o se to t hr eet i m est he l ega l l i m i t . He t es t i f i ed t hatt o a t t ai n a bl ood a l c o h o l l e velof

. 22 , an aver age per son w oul d have t o consum e t w el ve beer s overt he cour se o f a n h o u r. A ppe l l ant t es t i f i ed on hi s ow n be hal f . He den i ed hav i ng c ons um ed any al coh ol on t he eve ni ng i n que st i on bef or e hi s t i r e b l ew out . He t es t i f i ed t hathe had an u n o p e n e d p i ntofw hi sk ey unde r nea t h hi s van ’ s bac k s ea t . Appel l ant
sa i d t hat aft er he par ke d t he van i n t he gas st at i on par ki ng l ot , heope ned t he

w hi skey and dr ank hal foft he bott l e i n “t w o gul p s .” H e t est i f i ed t hataft er sp ea ki ng t o Hel i ke ran d Ja ck so n, hew al ke d dow n t he r oad t o f i nd t he bl ow n t i r e’ s hubc ap and t hathedr an k th e re s t oft he w hi sk ey ashew al ke d. A ppel l antsai d he f i ni shed t he w hi skey and t hr ew t he bott l e i nt o a dum pst er bef or e t he pol i cear r i v e d a tt he gass t at i on. Appel l antf i r stt es t i f i ed t hathe dr ankt he w hi sk ey ove rt he cou r se of “t hi rt y m i nut es , m ayb e s oone r , ” buton cr o s s e x a mi n a t i o n h e s a i d t h a t h e “ d i d a l l t h a t i n l e s s t h a n 1 0 mi n u t e s. ” H e t est i f i ed t h a t h e h a d li ed t o t he pol i ce w hen he t ol d t hem he had con sum ed t hr ee beer s. H e al so adm i t t ed t hathe had l i ed t o t he pol i ce w hen he t ol d t hem , “I pr om i se you I w as notdr i vi ng. ”5

The j ury f ound A ppe l l ant gui l t y, and t he t r i al cou rt as se ss ed puni sh m ent
a t tw e l v e y e a rs ’ c o n fi n e m e n t. D i sc us si on A p p e l l a n t arg u e s th a t t h e ev i d e n c e i s l e g a l l y a n d fac tu a l l y i n su ffi c i e n t t o pr ovebe yond a r ea so nab l e doubt t hathew asi nt oxi ca t ed w hi l e h e w asdr i vi ng h i s v e h i c l e . W h e n rev i e w i n g t h e l e g a l su ffi c i e n c yo f t h e ev i d e n c e to s u p p o rta con vi ct i on, w e v i e w a l l t he evi den cei n t he l i ghtm os tf avo r abl e t o t he pr os ec ut i on i n or dert o de t er m i ne w het her any r at i ona l t r i eroff ac tco ul d ha ve fo u n d th e e s s e n ti a l e l e m e n ts o f th e c ri m e b e y o n d a re a s o n a b l e d o u b t. Jacks on
v. V ir ginia , 4 4 3 U .S . 3 0 7 , 3 1 9 , 9 9 S . C t. 2 7 8 1 , 2 7 8 9 (1 9 7 9 ); Cl a y to n v. S tate , 23 5 S . W . 3d 77 2, 77 8 ( Tex . C r i m . A pp. 20 07 ) . W h e n r evi ew i ng t he f act ual suf f ici ency of t he evi dence t o suppo rta convi ct i on, w e vi ew al l t he evi dence i n a n e u tra l l i g h t, fa v o ri n g n e i th e r p a rty . Nea l v. S ta te, 256 S . W . 3d 264, 275 (T e x . C ri m . A p p . 2 0 0 8 ); W a tso n v. S tate , 2 0 4S . W . 3 d 4 0 4 , 4 1 4( T e x . C r i m. A pp. 2006 ) . W e t hen as k w het hert he evi de n c e s u p p ort i ng t he con vi ct i on, a l th o u g h l e g a l l ys u fficie n t, i s n e v e rth e l e s s s o w e a kth a t th e fa c tfin d e r’s det er m i nat i on i s cl ea r l y w r ong a nd m ani f es t l y un j us torw het herco nf l i ct i ng evi den ces o gr ea t l y ou t w ei ghs t he evi den ce su pport i ng t he con vi ct i on t hatt he6

fa c tfin d e r’sd e te rm i n a ti o n i s m a n i fe s tl yu n j u s t. L a n c o nv. S tate , 253 S. W . 3d 6 9 9 , 7 0 4(T e x . C ri m . A p p . 2 0 0 8 ); W atson , 204 S. W . 3d a t414– 15, 417. A pe r so n c om m i t s t he of f ens e of dr i vi ng w hi l e i nt oxi ca t ed i ft he per so n ope r at esa m ot orve hi cl e i n a publ i c pl ac e w i t hout t he nor m al us e of m ent al or phys i ca l f ac ul t i esduet o t he i nt r oduc t i on of al coh ol or ot her su bs t anc es i nt o t he b o d y . T e x . P e n a l Code Ann. §§ 49 . 01( 2) ( A ) , 49. 04( a) ( V er non 2003) . The
cor pusde l i ct iofdr i vi ng w hi l e i nt oxi ca t ed i s t hats om eon e d r oveorope r at ed a
m o to r v e h i c l e i n a p u b l i c p l a c e w h i l e i n to x i c a te d . T h ree t v. S tate , 157 Tex. C ri m . 4 9 7 , 4 9 8 , 2 5 0 S .W .2 d 2 0 0 , 2 0 0 (1 9 5 2 ). A p p e l l a n t ch a l l e n g e s th e l e g a l an d fac tu a l su ffi c i e n c yo f t h e ev i d e n c e to
s u p p o rtt h e “ w h ile in t o x ic a t e d ” p a rto f t h e c o r p u s d e lic t i, a r g u in g t h a tt h e r e is
n o ev i d e n c e tha t h e w a s i n to x i c a ted w h i l e h e w a s d ri v i n g . A p p e l l a n t p o i n ts to
a n ot e s entoutby t he j ury du r i ng de l i ber at i onson g u i l t-i nnoc enc e a sk i ng t he t r i al co urt , “ Yourhono r , ca n w e f i nd t he D ef end antgui l t y ofa l es se rch ar ge of pub l i c i nt oxi cat i on i nst ead ofdr i vi ng w hi l e i nt oxi cat ed?”— t o w hi ch t he t r i al
cou rtan sw er ed “n o”

— asan i ndi ca t i on t hatt h e j u ry w ass t r uggl i ng w i t h t he quest io n ofw het herA ppel l antw as dr i vi ng w hi l e i nt oxi cat ed orbecam e i n to x i c a te d a fte r h e s to p p e d d ri v i n g . Butt he j ury ul t i m at el y r es ol ved t he que st i on a gai ns tA ppe l l ant , and t he evi den ces upport s t hatr es ol ut i on. Hel i ke rt es t i f i ed t hatA ppe l l antw ass w ervi ng7

a c ros s th e roa d w a yev e n b e fo re h i s ti re b l e w a n d d ri v i n g w i th o u t his h e a d l i g h ts
on. Bo t h H el i ker and Jackson t est i f i ed t hathe sm el l ed ofal coho l , hi s speech

w asi nco h e r entan d s l ur r ed, an d hew ass t agg er i ng i m m edi at el y a f t erhe st opp ed hi s vehi cl e att he gas st at i on. N e ith e r H e li kernorJackson saw A ppel l antdr i nki ng any t hi ng af t erhe st opp ed dr i vi ng, and nei t her of t hem saw a b o ttle o n h i s p e rs o n . O ffice r S u l l i v a n , w h o a rri v e d a b o u t te n m i n u te s l a te r, t es t i f i ed t hat A ppe l l ant ’ s sp ee ch w ass l ur r ed and s l ow , hi s eye s w er e b l oods hot and w at ery, hew ass w ayi n g a s h e s tood, an d hi s br ea t h s m el l ed st r ongl y of al co ho l . S ho rt l y the r ea f t er, A pp el l an t ex hi bi t ed si x cl ue s on t he ho r i zon t al ga ze nys t agm ust es t , f ai l ed a b r ea t hal ys er t es t , and t ol d Cor por al La ngf or d t hathe had be en dr i nki ng be er . Fr om t hi s evi den cea j ury c oul d r ea so nab l y c onc l ude bey ond a r ea so nab l e doubt t hatA ppe l l antw asnotonl y i nt oxi ca t ed w hen t he pol i ce adm i ni st er ed t he f i el d t est s and t ook hi s bl ood sam pl e, butw hen he w as dr i vi ng, t oo. Th e onl y evi dence t hatA ppel l antbecam e i nt oxi cat ed aft e r h e st opp ed dr i vi ng c am e f r om A ppe l l anthi m se l f . The j ury i s f r eet o a cc eptorr ej ec tan y or al l oft he evi den ceofei t he r p a rty a n d a ny o ral l oft he t es t i m ony ofan y
w i tn e s s . Herna n dez v. S tate , 1 6 1 S . W . 3 d 4 9 1 , 5 0 0 & n . 2 8 , 5 0 1 ( T e x . C r i m. A p p . 2 0 0 5 ). In t h is c a s e , t h e ju r yre je c t e d A p p e lla n t ’s t e s t im o n y t h a th e d id nots t artdr i nki ng un t i l hes t oppe d dr i vi ng.8

A ppel l antar gues t hatt hi s case i s l i ke Co lem a nv. S tate , 704 S. W . 2d 511 ( Tex. A pp. — H ous t on [ 1st . D i st . ] 1986 , no p et . ). I n Colem an , t he def end ant
w a s i n v o l v e d i n a tra ffic a c c i d e n t. Id. a t 5 1 1 . T h e d e fe n d a n t to l d th e o ffice rs h e h a d b e e n d ri v i n g o n e o f th e c a rs i n v o l v e d i n th e a c c i d e n t, b u t th e o ffice rs d e te rm i n e d th a t s o m e o n e e l s e h a d b e e n i n h i s c a r, to o . Id. D u r in g t h e ir i nve st i gat i on, t he pol i cenot i ce d t hatt he def end antap pea r ed t o bei nt oxi ca t ed,
a n d h e fa i l e d a fi e l d s o b ri e tyte s t a n d , l a te r, a b re a th a l y s e r te s t. Id. O n appeal f r om t he def end ant ’ s D W I co nvi ct i on, t he cou rtofap pea l s hel d, H er e, asap pel l antar gue s, t her e i s not hi ng i n t he r ec or d be f or e u s t o s how t hatheope r at ed a m ot orve hi cl e w hi l e i nt oxi ca t ed. T e s ti m o n yi n d i c a te s th a t h e w a s i n to x i c a t e d w h e n th e o ffice rs ar r i ved att he scene oft he acci dent, but t her e i s no evi dence, ot her t han hi s ow n ext r aj udi ci al conf essi on, t o show t hat appel l antw as dr i vi ng t he veh i cl e, an d no evi den cew hat so eve r to s h o w t hathe w as i nt oxi cat ed at t he t i m e he w as dr i vi ng. Th er ef or e, t he evi dence is in s u f f ic ie n tt o s u p p o rta p p e lla n t ’s c o n v ic t io n f o rd r iv in g w h ile i nt oxi ca t ed. Id. at512. O urca sei s di st i ngui sh abl e f r om C olem anbe ca us e ( 1) A ppe l l ant j udi ci al ly adm i t t ed t hr ough hi s sw or n t r i al t es t i m ony t hathew ast he dr i verof t he vehi cl e i n quest i on, ( 2) H el i ker t est i f i ed t hat A ppel l ant w as sw ervi ng acr oss t he r oadw ay even befor e hi s t i r e bl ew out, and ( 3) H el i kerand Jackson t est i f i ed th a t A p p e l l a n t ap p e a red to b e i n to x i c a ted i m m e d i a tel y fo l l o w i n g th e b l o w o u t. Th us, unl i ke Colem an , t her e i s som e evi dence i n t hi s case t hatA ppel l antw as dr i vi ng a nd t hathew asi nt oxi ca t ed w hi l e d r i vi ng.9

V i e w i n g th e e v i d e n c e i n th e l i g h t m o s t fa v o ra b l e to th e p ro s e c u ti o n , w e hol d t hat a r at i ona l t r i er of f ac t cou l d hav e f ound t he es se nt i al el em ent s oft he
c ri m e b e y o n d a re a s o n a b l e d o u b t; th u s , th e e v i d e n c e i s l e g a l l ys u fficie n t. S ee Jacks on , 4 4 3 U .S . a t 3 1 9 , 9 9 S . C t. S t 2 7 8 9 ; Cl ayton , 235 S. W . 3d a t778. V i ew i ng t he ev i de nc e i n a ne utr al l i gh t , w e h ol d tha ti ti s al so f ac t ua lly
s u fficie n t. S ee Ne a l , 256 S. W . 3d at275. W e t her ef or e o ver r ul e b ot h of A p p e l l a n t’ s p o i n ts a n d affi rm the tr i a l co u rt ’s j u d g m e n t. P E R CU R I AM PA N EL: G A RD N ER, J. ; CA YC E, C. J. ; an d L I V I N G STO N , J. DO NO T P UBLI SH Tex. R. A pp. P. 47. 2( b) DEL I VERE D: J a nu a r y 22, 2009