Opinion ID: 4530720
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: facts

Text: 1. Traffic Stop On the morning of December 26, 2016, Degarmo was driving on a highway in Lancaster County, Nebraska, when he was stopped by Lancaster County Deputy Sheriff Jeremy Schwarz for an expired registration. Degarmo was the only occupant of the vehicle. Schwarz noticed the odor of burnt marijuana coming from inside Degarmo’s vehicle, and he asked Degarmo to accompany him back to his cruiser. Schwarz patted Degarmo down before placing him in the cruiser and found a baggie containing a small amount of marijuana in Degarmo’s front pocket. While seated inside the cruiser with Degarmo, Schwarz again smelled marijuana and noticed Degarmo had slow speech and bloodshot eyes. Degarmo admitted that, within the prior 20 minutes, he had smoked a “pinch” of marijuana in his vehicle before he began driving. Schwarz subsequently searched Degarmo’s vehicle and found a marijuana pipe in the center console. The pipe contained both burnt and unburnt marijuana. Schwarz noticed Degarmo had a distinct green hue on his tongue with heat-raised taste buds, which Schwarz testified are indicators of recent marijuana inhalation. Schwarz also observed Degarmo to be relaxed and calm and to have fluttering eyelids, and he testified those were also signs of marijuana ingestion. 2. Field Sobriety Tests Based on his observations, Schwarz decided to administer field sobriety tests. He conducted a horizontal gaze nystagmus test, a vertical gaze nystagmus test, an eye convergence test, 1 Birchfield v. North Dakota, ___ U.S. ___, 136 S. Ct. 2160, 195 L. Ed. 2d 560 (2016). - 683 - Nebraska Supreme Court Advance Sheets 305 Nebraska Reports STATE v. DEGARMO Cite as 305 Neb. 680 a “modified Romberg test,” a walk-and-turn test, and a onelegged stand test. Degarmo did not show any signs of impairment on the nystagmus tests, but Schwarz testified that is not unusual when the suspected impairment is due to marijuana. Degarmo showed signs of impairment on all of the remaining tests. After conducting the field sobriety tests, Schwarz had Degarmo return to the cruiser and took his pulse, which measured at 140 beats per minute. Schwarz testified an average normal pulse is 60 to 90 beats per minute. Schwarz arrested Degarmo for driving under the influence and took him to a detoxification center in Lincoln, Nebraska, for a drug recognition evaluation (DRE). A DRE is a nationally standardized protocol for identifying drug intoxication. 2 3. Drug Recognition Evaluation Schwarz, who is a certified DRE expert, conducted the DRE. It was performed in a testing room with only Schwarz and Degarmo present. Most of the DRE was video recorded, and Degarmo waived his Miranda rights prior to the examination. (a) Breath Test At the beginning of the DRE, Schwarz requested a breath sample from Degarmo. In doing so, he read part A of a standardized postarrest chemical test advisement to Degarmo. This form provided: You are under arrest for operating or being in actual physical control of a motor vehicle while under the influence of alcoholic liquor or drugs. Pursuant to law, I am requiring you to submit to a chemical test or tests of your breath or urine to determine the concentration of alcohol or drugs in your breath or urine. Refusal to submit to such test or tests is a separate crime for which you may be charged. 2 See State v. Daly, 278 Neb. 903, 775 N.W.2d 47 (2009). - 684 - Nebraska Supreme Court Advance Sheets 305 Nebraska Reports STATE v. DEGARMO Cite as 305 Neb. 680 I have the authority to direct whether the test or tests shall be of your breath or urine and may direct that more than one test be given.
ü breath ___ urine to determine the ü alcohol ___ drug content. Schwarz checked the blank space in front of “breath” and “alcohol” on the advisement, and both Schwarz and Degarmo signed the advisement form at 11:08 a.m. Schwarz testified that when he went through the form, he explained to Degarmo that it pertained only to testing for alcohol ingestion. Degarmo’s breath test was completed at 11:27 a.m. and showed no alcohol in his system. (b) Opinion of Impairment After taking the breath test, Schwarz conducted the remainder of the DRE according to the standardized protocol. 3 Schwarz testified, summarized, that Degarmo showed impairment consistent with use of marijuana on most of the DRE tests he administered. Schwarz further testified that the tests on which Degarmo showed no impairment were tests on which marijuana use would not be expected to result in impairment. Schwarz formed the opinion that Degarmo was under the influence of marijuana and was unable to safely operate a motor vehicle. After forming this opinion, Schwarz asked Degarmo to consent to a urine test. (c) Urine Test In connection with requesting consent for a urine test, Schwarz read Degarmo another standardized form. This form was entitled “Consent to Search for Blood/Urine Alcohol or Drug Evidence,” and it provided: I, David E. Degarmo, located at 721 K St., Lancaster County, Nebraska, have been informed of my constitutional right not to have a search made of my blood or 3 See id. - 685 - Nebraska Supreme Court Advance Sheets 305 Nebraska Reports STATE v. DEGARMO Cite as 305 Neb. 680 urine, which is under my control, without a search warrant. I also have been informed of and understand my right to refuse to consent to such search. I understand that if I refuse to give consent to search my blood or urine, a search warrant for my blood or urine will be sought. With this understanding, I hereby authorize [Deputy] Schwarz, who had identified himself/herself as a law enforcement officer in the State of Nebraska, to conduct a search of my body for blood or urine for alcohol and/or drugs. I understand that such a search may include the drawing of my blood and/or the collection of my urine. I understand that this may be used as evidence against me in criminal proceedings. I have read and/or have been read this form; I understand it; and I give the officer permission to search my blood or urine. This permission is being given voluntarily and without threats or promises of any kind. After this consent to search form was read to him, Degarmo signed and dated the form at 12:04 p.m., and he provided the requested urine sample. The signed consent to search form was received into evidence at trial without objection. Degarmo’s urine sample was sent to the Nebraska State Patrol Crime Laboratory for testing. The test results confirmed the presence of the metabolite for tetrahydrocannabinol (the active drug in marijuana) in Degarmo’s urine. 4. Motion to Suppress Degarmo was charged in the county court for Lancaster County with driving under the influence (one prior conviction), possession of 1 ounce or less of marijuana, and possession of drug paraphernalia. He moved to suppress the results of the urine test, arguing that he did not voluntarily consent to the test and that the urine sample was obtained without a warrant in violation of Birchfield, 4 his rights under the 4th and 14th Amendments to the U.S. Constitution, and article I, § 7, of the 4 See Birchfield, supra note 1. - 686 - Nebraska Supreme Court Advance Sheets 305 Nebraska Reports STATE v. DEGARMO Cite as 305 Neb. 680 Nebraska Constitution. The county court denied the motion to suppress, reasoning in part that Degarmo “freely, voluntarily, knowingly and intelligently” gave consent for the urine test by signing the consent to search form. The matter proceeded to trial. 5. Trial During the jury trial, Schwarz generally testified to the events as set out above. He also testified that after conducting all but the final step of the DRE (the urine test), it was his opinion that Degarmo was under the influence of marijuana and was not able to safely operate a motor vehicle. He testified that he formed his opinion on the cause and extent of Degarmo’s impairment prior to conducting the urine test, and he described the urine test in this case as “confirmation” or “corroborat[ion]” of his opinion on Degarmo’s impairment. The toxicologist who tested Degarmo’s urine sample also testified at trial. She explained the urine testing process and testified that she performed the test in accordance with “Title 177.” Over Degarmo’s objection, the toxicologist testified that her testing showed the active drug metabolite for marijuana was present in Degarmo’s urine. Her report to that effect was received into evidence, also over Degarmo’s objection. The toxicologist admitted that it was not scientifically possible to determine impairment based only on the presence of drug metabolites in urine, and she explained that the purpose of urine testing was simply to “corroborate the drug recognition evaluator’s opinion” as to the substance contributing to any impairment. Degarmo testified in his own defense. As relevant to the issues on appeal, he admitted that on the morning he was stopped by Schwarz, he had smoked a small amount of marijuana inside his vehicle before driving. 6. Verdicts and Sentences The jury found Degarmo guilty on all three charges. On the conviction for driving under the influence, Degarmo was - 687 - Nebraska Supreme Court Advance Sheets 305 Nebraska Reports STATE v. DEGARMO Cite as 305 Neb. 680 sentenced to 45 days in jail, fined $500, and his license was revoked for 18 months. On the conviction for possession of marijuana, Degarmo was fined $300. And on the conviction for possession of drug paraphernalia, Degarmo was fined $25. 7. Appeal to District Court Degarmo filed a timely appeal through new court-appointed counsel. He assigned error to the admission of the warrantless urine test result. The district court, sitting as an intermediate court of appeals, affirmed. 5 In doing so, it examined the totality of the circumstances and found that Degarmo voluntarily consented to the urine test. Degarmo appealed again, and we granted his petition to bypass the Court of Appeals.