Opinion ID: 1944210
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 6

Heading: Admission of the Breathalyzer Test Results

Text: The defendant raises two arguments challenging the admission of his Breathalyzer test results at trial. First, defendant claims that the trial justice erroneously admitted his Breathalyzer test results because, pursuant to his understanding of Oregon v. Elstad, 470 U.S. 298, 105 S.Ct. 1285, 84 L.Ed.2d 222 (1985) and Missouri v. Seibert, 542 U.S. 600, 124 S.Ct. 2601, 159 L.Ed.2d 643 (2004), the statements that he made to Trooper Martin at the scene of the accident before he was given Miranda warnings vitiated his consent to the Breathalyzer test (which consent was given after defendant had been read his Miranda rights). Second, defendant argues that his consent to the Breathalyzer test was not knowing, intelligent, and voluntary because the police knowingly withheld from him the fact that Mr. Juarez had died as a result of the accident and that defendant would therefore be facing a more serious charge than driving under the influence of alcohol. We consider both arguments to be unavailing. In reviewing the denial of a motion to suppress evidence in a situation such as this, we employ the clearly erroneous standard of review. See In re Kean, 520 A.2d 1271, 1276 (R.I.1987); In re John N., 463 A.2d 174, 176 (R.I.1983). A