Opinion ID: 2221159
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: Admissibility of Preliminary Breath Screening Test Results.

Text: Defendant urges that the trial court erred by admitting into evidence over his objection documentary evidence that he had submitted to a preliminary breath screening test which indicated ten hundredths (.10) or more of one percent by weight of alcohol in the blood. He urges that the use of such evidence is prohibited by section 321B.3 which provides in part: The results of this preliminary screening test may be used for the purpose of deciding whether an arrest should be made and whether to request a chemical test authorized in this chapter, but shall not be used in any court action except to prove that a chemical test was properly requested of a person pursuant to this chapter. (Emphasis added). In response to this contention, the State urges that this evidence falls within the exception provided in the last sentence of the above-quoted statute. Such evidence, the State contends, was offered to show the foundational facts necessary for the admission of the results of the intoxilyzer test. The strength of the State's argument is diminished by the fact that there was no issue in the case concerning the foundational facts necessary for the admission of the intoxilyzer test. The defendant had not challenged the admissibility of the intoxilyzer results by a motion to suppress. This evidence was already admitted prior to the time the preliminary screening test was received. In addition, we conclude that the limited exception to the prohibition against use of preliminary screening test results has reference to the foundational showing which must be made to the court in order to justify admissibility of a chemical test. Questions of admissibility of these test results are for the court and not for the jury. Lessenhop v. Norton, 261 Iowa 44, 53, 153 N.W.2d 107, 112-13 (1967). We do not believe the statutory exception authorizes providing the results of preliminary screening tests to the trier of fact as evidence in the case. The State urges that if the results of the preliminary screening test are deemed to be inadmissible, the result in the present case is harmless error. When trial court error is not of constitutional magnitude, the test of prejudice is whether it sufficiently appears that the rights of the complaining party have been injuriously affected. State v. Massey, 275 N.W.2d 436, 439 (Iowa 1979). We believe it sufficiently appears that defendant's rights in the present case suffered the requisite harm necessary for a reversal. Defendant challenged the accuracy of the intoxilyzer test results based on potential radio frequency interference. In support of this contention he provided a memorandum from the state crime laboratory stating that sources of radio waves should be insulated from the intoxilyzer and, in addition, presented evidence through cross-examination of State witnesses that this had not been done on the intoxilyzer test which was administered to him. Use of the preliminary screening results by the State tends to corroborate the intoxilyzer reading which the defendant has challenged. We conclude that this evidence may not be deemed harmless. As a result of the error in its admission, a new trial is required on the information charging a violation of section 321.281.