FOURTH D I VI SI ON

DOYLE, P. J.

, M I LLER and DI LLA RD, 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 ls .us /r ule s /

Nov em ber 14, 2014



# I n th e Co u r t o f

A p p eals o f

G eo r g ia

A1 4 A1 12 7 . THE STATE v . SM ITH. DO-0 4 1

D O Y LE , Pres i d i n g J u d g e.

J am es Sm i t h was c h a rg ed wi t h d ri vi n g u n der t he i n fl u en ce o f al co h o l t o t h e

ex t en t t h at i t was l es s safe fo r h i m t o d ri v e (“ DUI les s s afe”) 1 an d fai l u re t o m ai n t ai n

h i s l an e. 2 Fo l l o wi n g a h e a r i n g

, 3 t h e t ri al co u rt s u p p res s ed t h e res u l t s o f t wo fi el d

1 OCGA § 4 0 -6 -3 9 1 (a) (1 ).

2 OCGA § 4 0 -6 -4 8 (1 ).

3 Th e s up p res s i o n h eari n g was h el d o n Decem ber 1 3

, 2 0 1 3

, an d t he tri al co u rt

en t e r e d i t s wri tt en ord er o n J an u ary 1 3

, 20 1 4

. Th erefo re, Geo rg i a’ s n ew Ev i d en ce

Co d e ap pl i es t o th is cas e. See G a. L. 2 0 1 1

, p. 9 9

, § 1 0 1 (p ro v id in g t h at Geo rg i a’ s n ew

Ev i d en ce Co d e ap p l i es “ to an y m o t i o n m ad e o r h eari n g o r t ri al co m m en ced o n o r

aft er” J an u ary

1 , 2 01 3).s o b ri et y t es t s b ecau s e t h ey were n ot p ro p erl y ad m i ni s t ered

. 4 Th e St at e ap p eal s

, 5 an d

we rev ers e fo r t he reas o n s t h at fo l l o w.

W e ap p l y t he fo ll owi n g p ri n ci p l e s w h e n rev i ewi n g a t ri al co u rt ’ s ru l i n g o n a

m o ti o n t o s u p p res s :

Fi rs t

, wh en a m o t i o n t o s u p p res s i s h eard b y t h e t r i al ju dg e, t h at j u d ge

s i ts as t h e t ri er o f fact s. Th e t ri al ju d g e h ears th e ev i d en c e

, an d h i s

fi nd in g s b as ed u po n co n fl i ct i n g ev id en ce are an al o g o u s to t h e verd i ct o f

a ju ry an d sh o u l d n o t b e d i s t urb ed by a rev i ewi n g co u rt i f t h e r e i s an y

ev i d en ce t o s u p p o rt t hem

. Seco n d

, t h e t ri al co u rt ’ s d eci s i on wi t h reg ard

t o q u es t i o n s o f fact a n d cred i b i l it y m us t b e accep t ed u n l es s cl earl y

erro n eo us

. Th i rd

, t h e rev i ewi n g co urt m u s t co n s t ru e t h e ev id en ce m o s t

fav o rab ly t o t h e u p h o l d i ng o f t h e t ri al co u rt ’ s fi n d i n g s an d ju d g m en t

. 6

4 Th e t ri al co u rt d en ied Sm i th ’ s m o t i o n t o s u p p res s reg ard i n g t h e o ffi cer’ s

reas on ab l e s u s p ici o n t o s t o p Sm i t h ’ s veh i cl e, p ro bab l e cau s e, an d i m p l i ed co n s en t

. Th e t ri al co urt s u pp res s ed th e res u l t s o f h o ri zo n t al gaze ny s t a g m u s (“ HGN”) an d

v ert i cal g aze n y st ag m

u s (“ VGN”) f

i el d s o b ri et y t es t s

, b u t t h e St at e do es n o t ap p eal

t h at ru li n g

.

5 S e e O CGA § 5 -7 -1 (a) (4 ) (p ro v i d in g i n rel ev an t p art t h at th e St at e m ay

ap p eal “ [f] ro m

an o rd er . . . o r ju d g m en t s u p p res s in g o r

. . . ex cl u di n g t h e res u l t s o f

an y t es t fo r al co h ol o r dru gs in t h e cas e o f m ot i o n s m ad e an d ru l ed u po n p ri o r t o t h e

i m p an el i n g o f a j u ry o r t h e d efen d an t b ei n g p u t in j eo p ard y

, wh i ch ev er o ccu rs fi rs t ”).

6 (Pu n ct u at i o n o m i t ted .) Br o wn v. St a t e

, 2 9 3 Ga. 7 87

, 8 03 (3 ) (b ) (2 ) (7 5 0 SE2 d

1 4 8 ) (2 0 1 3 ).

2“ W h en t h e c o nt ro l li n g fact s are n o t i n d i s p u t e, s u ch as fact s d i scern ib l e fro m a

v i d eo t ap e, we co n d u ct a d e n o vo rev i ew o f b o th t he fact s an d t h e l aw i n d et erm i n i n g

t h e ad m is s i b i l i t y

o f t h e s t at em en t .” 7

So v i ewed

, t h e reco rd s h o ws t h at on J an u ary 3 1

, 2 01 3

, Ken n es aw Po l i ce

Dep art m en t Det ect i v e M i c h a el M ay nard in i ti at ed a t raffi c s t o p aft er h e o b s erv ed

Sm it h ’ s v eh i cl e w eav e, cro ss t h e cen t er l i n e m u l t i pl e t i m es

, st ri k e th e ri g h t cu rb

, an d

t rav el p art ly o ff o f t h e ro ad way

. Det ect i v e May n ard cal l e d f o r b ack u p an d t h en

ap p ro ach ed t h e v eh i cl e an d s p o k e t o Sm i th

, at wh i ch p o in t h e det ect ed t h e o d o r o f

al co h o l em an at i n g fro m Sm i t h ’s b r e at h

. Det ect i ve M ay n ard t h en ret u rn ed t o h i s

v eh icl e t o awai t Offi cer J

. C. Ferg u s o n

, wh o arri v ed o n t h e s cen e sh o rt l y t h ereaft er,

at ap p ro x i m at el y 12 : 4 5 a.m

.

W h i l e s p eak in g w i t h Sm i t h

, Offi cer Ferg us o n d et ect ed t h e o d o r o f al co h ol

co m i n g fro m Sm i t h an d n o t i ced t h at h is ey es were b l o o d s h o t an d wat ery

, h e

m u m b l ed

, an d h i s s p eech was s l u rred

. W h en as k ed wh et h er he h ad b een d ri n k i n g,

Sm it h rep l i ed t h at h e was co m i n g fro m a b u s i n es s m eet i n g a n d h a d c o n s u m ed t wo

g l as s es o f wi n e an d t w o b eers

, t h e l as t o n e at 1 1: 0 0 p

. m

. Sm i t h th en co m p l i ed wi th

7 Den ni s v. S t a t e , 2 93 Ga. 6 8 8 , 6 9 1 (2 ) (7 4 8 SE2 d 3 9 0 ) (2 0 13 ).

3t h e o ffi cer’ s req u es t t o ex i t h i s v eh i cl e an d ap p r o a c h t h e p ol i ce car, wal k i n g

u n s t ead i l y

as h e d i d s o

.

Sm i t h refu s ed O ffi cer Fer guson’ s r e que st to subm it to a n al co s en s o r ev al u at i o n,

b u t ag reed t o s u b m i t t o fi el d s o bri et y t es t s ; t h e tes t s were v i d eo t ap ed an d t h e t ap e was

p l ay ed at t h e s u p p res s i o n h eari ng

. Offi cer Ferg u so n t es ti fi ed at t h e heari ng t h at Sm i th

ex h ib i t ed s i x o ut o f s ix in d i cat o rs o f i m p ai rm en t an d t he ex i st en ce o f VGN d uri n g h i s

HGN an d VGN tes ti n g

. Bel i ev i n g t hat Sm i t h m a y h av e b een i m p ai red

, Offi cer

Ferg u s on al s o ad m in i s tered t h e “ wal k an d t u rn ” a n d “ o n e l eg s t an d ” fi el d s o b ri et y

t es t s

. 8 Offi cer Ferg u s o n t es t i fi ed t h at h e o b s erv ed fi v e o ut o f ei g h t i n d i c a t o rs o f

i m p ai rm en t d u r i n g t h e w al k an d t u rn tes t an d fo u r ou t o f fo u r i n d i cat o rs du ri n g t h e

o n e l eg s t an d t es t

. 9 Acco rd i n g t o Offi cer Ferg u s on

, al t h o ug h i t was d ri zzl i n g an d v ery

8 Offi cer Ferg us o n tes t ifi ed t h at Sm it h was u n ab l e t o p ro p erl y reci t e a p o rt i o n

o f t h e al p h ab et

. T h e res u l ts o f t h e al p h ab et t es t

, h o wev er, were n ot ad d res s ed b y t h e

t ri al co u rt i n i t s o rd er o n Sm i t h ’ s m o t i o n t o s u p pres s an d are n ot at i s su e o n ap p eal

.

9 Offi cer Ferg u s o n co n ced ed at th e h eari n g th at al t h o ug h h e i n d i cat ed i n h i s

p o l i ce rep o rt t h at Sm i t h ex h ib i t ed fi v e o u t of s i x cl ues o f i m p ai rm en t d u ri n g t h e wal k

an d t urn t es t

, h e n o t ed o n t h e d ri v er i m p ai rm en t fo rm th at Sm i th ex h i b i ted s i x o u t o f

s i x cl u es

. Offi cer Ferg u s o n fu rt her co n ced ed th at al t h o u g h h i s p o li ce rep ort i n d i cat es

t h at Sm i t h ex h i b i t ed t h ree o u t o f fo u r cl u es o f i m p ai rm en t du r i n g t h e o n e l eg s t an d

t es t

, t h e d ri v er i m

p ai rm en t fo rm refl ect s t h at h e ex h i b it ed f o u r o u t o f fo u r. Offi cer Ferg u s on t es t i fi ed th at t h e d i s crep an ci es i n t h e fo rm s were “ h u m an erro r.” W e n o t e

t h at n ei t h er t h e p o l i ce rep o rt n o r t h e d ri v er i m p ai rm en t fo rm were i n cl ud ed i n t h e

ap p el l at e reco rd

.

4wi n dy t h at n i g h t

, wh i ch co nd i t i o n s he co n ced ed co u l d affect t he d ex t eri t y an d b al an ce

t es t s

, h e d i d n o t b e l i ev e t h e co n d i t i o n s w ere dan g ero u s

, an d h e co n si d ered t h e

“ t o tal i t y o f t h e ci rcu m s t an ces ” wh en ev al u at i n g Sm i t h’ s p erfo rm an ce.

At t h e co n cl u s i o n o f t h e h eari n g, t h e tri al co u rt s u p p res s ed t h e res u l t s o f t h e

HGN, VGN, w al k an d t u rn

, an d o n e l eg s t an d t es t s

. In a wri t t en o rd er, t he co u rt s t at ed

t h at i t s u p p res s ed t h e t es t r es u l t s becau se Offi cer Ferg u s o n fai led t o co m p l y wi th

Nat i o n al Hi gh w ay Tran sp o rt at i o n Secu ri t y Ad m i ni s t rat i o n (“ NHTSA”) st an d ard s

wh i le ad m i n i s t eri n g t h e t es t s

. Th e co u rt fu rt h er co n cl ud ed t h at becau s e o f t h e

at t en dan t weat h er co nd i t i o n s

, s p eci fi cal l y in cl u d i n g t he wet ro ad s u r f a c e

, t h e wal k

an d t u rn an d o n e l eg s t an d tes t s were “ co n d uct e d i n a n u n s a fe m an ner,” an d “ t h e

d i s crep an ci es b et ween Offi cer F e r g u s o n ’ s p o l i ce rep o rt an d t h e d ri v er i m p ai rm en t

fo rm g [a] v e t h [e t ri al ] co u rt d o u b t as t o t he p ro p ri et y o f [t h e] ad m i n i s t rat i o n o f [t h o s e

t es t s ] .”

In a s i n g l e en um erat i o n

, t h e St at e arg u es t h at t h e t ri al co u rt erred by

s u p p res s i n g t h e res ul t s o f Sm i t h ’ s wal k an d t u rn an d o n e l eg s t an d t es t s . W e ag ree.

It i s wel l -s et t l ed t h at al t h o u g h H GN an d V GN t es t s co ns t i t u te s ci en t i fi c

p ro ced ures

,

5[

f iel d ] s o b ri et y t es t s s u ch a s t h e wa l

k a n d t u r n a n d t h e o n e l eg s t a n d

,

b o t h o f wh i ch d

emo n s t r a t e a s us

p ect ’s d ext er i ty a n d a b i l i t

y t o fo l l o w

d i r ect i on s

, d

o n o t co n s t i t u t e s ci en t i

f i c p r o ced u r es

. An d

, t es t i m o n y fro m

an o ffi cer ab o u t a s u s p ect ’ s i n a b i l it y to co m p l et e s uch d ex t eri t y t es t s

d o es n o t am o u n t t o tes t i m o ny reg ard in g s ci en t i fi c p ro ced u res

, b u t

i n s t e a d am o un t s t o t es t i m on y as t o b eh av i o ral o b s erv at i o n s o n th e

o ffi cer’ s p art

. Th erefo re, t h es e two t es t s an d an y tes t im o n y co n cern i n g

t h ei r ad m in i s t rat i on are no t s u b ject t o t h e s t an d ard . . . fo r d et erm i n i n g

wh et h er a s ci en t i fi c p ro ced u re i s ad m i s s ib l e. 1 0

Th u s, a d efen d an t ’ s arg u m en t s reg ard i n g p ro p er ad m i n i s t rat io n o f wal k an d t u rn an d

o n e l eg d ex t eri t y t es t s

, i n cl ud i n g co m p l ian ce wi t h N H T S A s tan d ard s

, g o t o t he wei g ht

o f t h e ev i d en ce, n o t t o ad m i s si b i l i t y

. 1 1 Th erefo re, t h e t ri al co u rt erred by su p p res s i n g

1 0 (Ci t at i o n s an d pu nct u at i o n o m i t t ed ; em p h as i s s u p p l i ed .) S t a t e v. Pa s t o r i n i

, 2 2 2 Ga. Ap p

. 3 1 6

, 3 1 8 -3 1 9 (2 ) (4 7 4 SE2 d 1 2 2) (1 9 9 6 ). See al s o S t ewa r t v. S t a t e

, 2 8 0

Ga. Ap p

. 3 6 6, 3 6 8 (2 ) (6 34 SE2 d 1 4 1 ) (2 00 6 ); He l l er v. St a t e

, 23 4 Ga. A p p

. 6 3 0,

6 3 1 -6 3 2 (2 ) ( b ) ( 5 0 7 S E2 d 5 1 8 ) (1 9 9 8 ); Ca n n -Ha n s o n v. S ta t e

, 2 2 3 Ga. Ap p

. 6 9 0,

6 9 1 (1 ) (4 7 8 SE2 d 46 0 ) (1 9 9 6 ); U. S

. v. R en f ro e

, Cas e No

. 4 : 1 3– m

j– 1 4 8– M SH (M

. D. G a. 2 0 1 4 ) (o rd er) (“ Th e w al k an d t u rn t es t an d t h e o n e[] l eg s t an d t es t, h o wev er,

are no t sci en t i fi c t es t s s o t h ey are n ot s u b j ect t o [Fed eral Ru l e of E v i den ce] 7 0 2.

In s t ead

, t h es e t es t s are l ay o b s erv at i o n s [,] wh ich are ad m i s s ib l e u n d er [Fed eral Ru l e

o f Ev id en ce] 7 01 .”).

1 1 See Ro wel l v. S t a t e , 3 12 Ga. Ap p . 5 5 9 , 5 6 2 (2 ) (a) (7 18 SE2 d 8 9 0 ) (2 0 1 1 );

S t ewa r t

, 2 8 0 Ga. Ap p

. at 3 6 8 -3 6 9 (2 ); Pa s t o r i ni

, 2 22 Ga. A p p

. a t 3 1 9 (2 ). See

g en eral l y OCGA § 24 -7 -7 0 1 (a) (s et t i n g fo rt h ru l e s f o r l ay t es t i m o n y reg ard i n g t h e

wi t n es s ’ s o p in io n s an d i n feren ces ).

6t h e res ul t s o f Sm i t h’ s wal k an d t u rn an d o n e l eg s t an d t es t s b as ed s o lel y o n i t s

co n cl u s i o n t h at t h ey

were n o t p ro p erl y

ad m i n is t ered

. 1 2

Ju d g men t r ever

s ed

. Di l l a r d

, J., co ncu r

s

. Mi l l er

, J., co n cu r

s i n j u d g men t o n l y.

1 2 Pa s t o r i ni

, 2 2 2 Ga. A p p

. a t 3 1 9 (2 ). See OCGA § 2 4 -4 -4 0 2 (“ Al l rel ev an t

ev i d en ce s h al l b e ad m i s s i bl e, ex cep t as l i m i t ed b y co n s t i t u ti on al req u i rem en t s o r as

o t h erwi s e p ro v i d ed b y law o r b y o th er ru l es

, as p res cri bed p u rs u an t t o co n s t i t u t i o n al

o r s t at u to ry au t h o ri t y

, ap pl i cab le i n t h e co u rt i n wh i ch t h e m at t er is p en d i n g

. Ev i d en ce

wh i ch i s n o t rel ev an t s hal l n o t b e ad m i s si bl e.”).

7