Opinion ID: 2165543
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 7

Heading: Sufficiency of the EvidenceDriving While Intoxicated

Text: Pike argues that the trial court erred in overruling his motion for acquittal on the issue of driving while intoxicated. Pike contends that there was insufficient evidence to find him guilty of this charge, because the trooper's testimony was contradictory, inconsistent, vague, and speculative; because the evidence that he was intoxicated was invalid or unreliable; and because the breath test was not properly admitted. When the sufficiency of the evidence is challenged in a criminal case, this Court's review is limited to whether there is sufficient evidence from which a reasonable trier of fact could have found the defendant guilty beyond a reasonable doubt. State v. Chaney, 967 S.W.2d 47, 52 (Mo. banc 1998). The evidence, including all reasonable inferences therefrom, is considered in the light most favorable to the judgment, disregarding all contrary inferences. Id. Pike first argues that the field sobriety tests should not be considered as evidence because they were administered behind the patrol car, so that they were not recorded by the video camera. Although section 577.020.7 does not require that field sobriety tests be videotaped, Pike argues that the trooper's decision to administer the tests where they could not be videotaped evidences a prima facie case of bad faith and, therefore, creates an adverse inference against the test results pursuant to the spoliation doctrine. [7] The trooper testified that he was the only officer on the scene when he began the sobriety testing and that he conducted the tests behind his vehicle because three individuals remained in the other vehicle and he wanted his patrol car to serve as a barrier between himself and those unrestrained individuals. Even assuming that the spoliation doctrine would apply where the desired evidence was not destroyed, but rather was never created at all, the trooper's decision does not show bad faith. Legitimate reasons for the trooper's decision to conduct the testing behind his patrol car were presented. The fact that none of the occupants in the car had given him a particular reason to fear them does not mean that the trooper was required to assume that there was no weapon or other means by which they could have harmed him. The decision to conduct the testing behind the patrol car was reasonable under the circumstances. Pike also argues that his appearance, driving style, admissions, breath, and slurred speech may have provided a reasonable suspicion of driving while intoxicated, but this evidence was insufficient to support his conviction beyond a reasonable doubt. Pike is correct that each of these items, taken individually, would provide slim support for his conviction. However, taken cumulatively, and combined with his performance on the field sobriety and breath tests, this evidence is sufficient to find Pike guilty of driving while intoxicated. Pike points out that the trooper initially testified that the shoulder on which Pike performed the field sobriety tests was paved; but, upon being shown pictures of the scene during cross-examination, the trooper admitted that the shoulder was gravel. Pike argues that this shows that the trooper was not reliable as a witness and that he may not have performed the sobriety tests correctly. However, there is no evidence that the incorrect recollection about the condition of the shoulder had any effect on the administration of the tests or on the testimony as a whole. Such issues of credibility are for the trial court, and the trial court here chose to believe the trooper's testimony that he properly administered the field sobriety tests. Pike argues that the breath test was not properly conducted; therefore, the results were not admissible. A prima facie case for the admission of the results of the breath test administered at the county jail is established where the state demonstrates that the test was performed according to Department of Health regulations by an operator with a proper permit using equipment that was properly maintained and approved. Section 577.020; Reckner v. Fischer, 121 S.W.3d 296, 301 (Mo.App.2003). Pike does not dispute that the trooper was permitted to conduct the test or that the equipment used was proper. Pike contends that the test was not performed according to the regulations and procedures because Pike appeared to be chewing gum at the time of the traffic stop and the trooper could not specifically remember asking Pike whether he had something in his mouth prior to administering the test. The applicable regulation, 19 CSR 25-30.060, requires that, immediately prior to administering a breath test, the officer observe the subject for fifteen minutes and ensure that there is no smoking or oral intake of any material during this time; if vomiting occurs, start over with the 15 minute observation period. The trooper testified that he observed Pike for the 15 minute period and that Pike did not smoke, vomit, or take anything into his mouth during this period. Pike does not assert that he began chewing gum during the observation period, or even that he was chewing gum during the observation period. Rather, he asserts that he was chewing gum approximately one and a half-hours before the test, when the trooper stopped him. Although the trooper did not observe Pike spitting the gum out, he also did not state that he observed Pike chewing it during the observation period. The evidence was sufficient to support a reasonable inference from the trooper's testimony that he observed Pike for the 15 minute period and that Pike no longer had anything visibly in his mouth. The trial court was entitled to draw that inference, and this Court defers to its conclusion. Although it appears from the plain language of the regulation that the trooper did not violate the regulation, Pike relies on Carr v. Director of Revenue, 95 S.W.3d 121 (Mo.App.2002), to argue that the proper procedures were not followed. In Carr , the officer testified that he followed the proper observation procedures prior to the test. Id. at 122. Carr, on the other hand, testified that he was allowed to smoke a cigarette, use the restroom, and place a butterscotch candy into his mouth during the 15 minute observation period. Id. The trial court apparently believed Carr, because it held that he had properly rebutted the State's prima facie case that the test was admissible, and the court of appeals affirmed. Id. at 126. Carr is distinguishable from this case. The Carr defendant produced specific evidence to rebut the director of revenue's prima facie case that the test results were valid. Here, Pike produced no evidence, other than the trooper's admissions that Pike appeared to be chewing gum at the time of the stop and that the trooper did not specifically remember checking Pike's mouth for a foreign object. Moreover, the testimony in Carr , if believed, would have proven that the regulation was not followed: it would have proven the actual oral intake of a piece of candy during the observation period. In contrast, even if Pike was chewing gum before the observation period, this is not specifically prohibited by the regulation. The result of the breath test at the Platte County jail was properly admitted and supports the conviction.