Opinion ID: 1353585
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: Admission of evidence of blood alcohol presumption.

Text: The Kentucky State Police trooper who investigated the accident testified over objection that the blood alcohol level for which a state trooper will customarily make an arrest for driving under the influence of alcohol is per se, point one (meaning 0.10). Evidence as to the amount of blood alcohol content necessary to establish a presumption of intoxication is inadmissible in the trial of any criminal offense other than a violation of KRS 189A.010. Walden v. Commonwealth, Ky., 805 S.W.2d 102, 103 (1991), overruled on other grounds, Commonwealth v. Burge, Ky., 947 S.W.2d 805 (1996); Overstreet v. Commonwealth, Ky., 522 S.W.2d 178, 179 (1975); Cormney v. Commonwealth, Ky.App., 943 S.W.2d 629, 634 (1996). In each of the cited cases, however, the error was deemed harmless because there was ample other evidence that the defendant was intoxicated at the time of the collision. Although the testimony of the investigating officer in this case technically did not inform the jury of the minimum blood alcohol content necessary to trigger the presumption of intoxication, it was close enough. But, as in the cited cases, there was also sufficient additional evidence of Appellant's intoxication to render this testimony harmless. RCr 9.24. The investigating officer testified that full and empty beer cans were found in Appellant's truck and on the ground around it at the scene of the collision. Blood drawn from Appellant after he was taken to the hospital revealed a blood alcohol content of 0.26. A waitress at a local restaurant who served Appellant shortly before the accident testified that his speech was slurred and that he was unsteady on his feet. Another witness testified that he encountered Appellant on the highway and that Appellant was driving so erratically that the witness believed he was drunk. Another witness testified that he was forced off the road when he encountered Appellant's vehicle being driven in the wrong lane of travel, and of course, Appellant's vehicle was still in the wrong lane of travel when it struck the vehicle occupied by the three victims.