Opinion ID: 1160300
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 8

Heading: Whether the court committed prejudicial error in admitting the Boone blood-alcohol tests.

Text: Combined contends that the trial court committed prejudicial error in admitting the report of Boone's blood-alcohol level over its objection thereto. It is suggested that error occurred in two respects: first, that the report did not fall within the hearsay exception established by the provisions of the Uniform Official Reports as Evidence Act, [§§ 1-165 through 1-169, W.S. 1957] (in effect when this action was tried, but since superseded); and second, that there was an insufficient showing of the underlying foundation for the report. The relevant parts of the Official Reports as Evidence Act are: § 1-166. Official reports and findings of fact as evidence.  Written reports or finding of fact made by officers of this state, on a matter within the scope of their duty as defined by statute, shall, in so far as relevant, be admitted as evidence of the matters stated therein. [Emphasis supplied] § 1-167. Copy to adverse party.  Such report or finding shall be admissible only if the party offering it has delivered a copy of it or so much thereof as may relate to the controversy, to the adverse party a reasonable time before trial, unless in the opinion of the trial court the adverse party has not been unfairly surprised by the failure to deliver such copy. § 1-168. Right of adverse party to cross-examine.  Any adverse party may cross-examine any person making such report or findings or any person furnishing information used therein; but the fact that such testimony may not be obtainable shall not affect the admissibility of the report or finding, unless, in the opinion of the court, the adverse party is unfairly prejudiced thereby. The special need for this exception to the hearsay rule is found in the inconvenience of requiring public officials to appear and testify concerning reports  with special trustworthiness being assigned to their reports by virtue of the declarant's official duty and the probability that the duty has been accurately performed. McCormick on Evidence, 2nd Ed., § 315, at 735-736. As we view this hearsay exception, the reliability of such evidence is lessened when the report does not fall within the official's statutory duty or a duty required by the nature of his office. See, Admissibility, under public records exception to hearsay rule, of record kept by public official without express statutory direction or authorization, 80 A.L.R.3d 414. In the instant case, the blood-alcohol report, which was admitted into evidence, was issued by Gene G. Rugotzke, Chief of the chemical testing program, Division of Health and Medical Services, after submission of a blood sample by the Lincoln County Coroner and Patrolman Roberts. There is no serious question that Mr. Rugotzke is a state officer, but the record discloses that counsel for Carol Sinclair failed to make any showing that the blood-alcohol report was made pursuant to a duty imposed by law or required by the nature of Mr. Rugotzke's office. [3] Such a showing is usually a prerequisite to admission of written reports under the Act. See, State v. Snider, 168 Mont. 220, 541 P.2d 1204, and Law v. Kemp, 276 Or. 581, 556 P.2d 109, 113. See also, Croker v. State, Wyo., 477 P.2d 122, 128, where a report by the Department of Agriculture was admitted under the Act. [4] Without the benefit of such information, the trial court erred in admitting the blood-alcohol report. Even more serious, however, is Combined's contention that there was, in any event, an insufficient showing of foundation as to the circumstances surrounding the taking of Boone's blood sample. The testimony of Patrolman Roberts reveals that, based on his detection of the odor of alcohol in the Boone vehicle, he requested the county coroner to draw the sample of blood. The sample was taken on July 29, 1974, the morning after the accident, by the assistant coroner, but the patrolman could not recall whether he was present, and the assistant coroner was not called to testify. The evidence indicates that Patrolman Roberts sent the sample to the Public Health Laboratory, which received it on August 5, 1974, and subsequently returned a report to Patrolman Roberts. We find this foundational evidence to be totally inadequate. Even if a written report, pertaining to blood-alcohol levels, is within a statutory or other hearsay exception, its admissibility is dependent upon a showing that the same was ... taken by a duly-authorized person using proper sterile equipment, that it was properly labeled and preserved, that its care and transportation were proper, and also the identity of persons processing it so as to give the opposing party the opportunity to cross-examine as to the care and procedure used in the test... . Lessenhop v. Norton, 261 Iowa 44, 153 N.W.2d 107, 111. See Robinson v. Life & Casualty Ins. Co. of Tennessee, 255 N.C. 669, 122 S.E.2d 801; McCormick on Evidence, supra, § 209 at 513; and 29 Am.Jur.2d, Evidence, § 830. Compare, Booth v. State, Wyo., 517 P.2d 1034, 1037. Such a foundation was not supplied in the instant case, and the trial court, therefore, erred in admitting the blood-alcohol report. Appellee's contention that she should not be held accountable for this error, since defendant Beardall offered the report in evidence, is without merit. See McDonald v. Kansas City Gas Co., 332 Mo. 356, 59 S.W.2d 37, 39, which indicates that one defendant may in certain cases so prejudice the rights of another defendant by introducing incompetent evidence, that a reversal of a judgment in favor of the plaintiff may be required. The important question, then, in this case, is whether the admission of the blood-alcohol report prejudiced the rights of Combined.