Opinion ID: 2602415
Heading Depth: 3
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: Arrest for Intoxication

Text: ¶ 37 The officers also arrested Trane for public intoxication in violation of section 76-9-701(1) of the Utah Code. The court of appeals did not reach the trial court's alternate holding that the officers had probable cause or close to probable cause to arrest Trane for intoxication and that therefore the search incident to arrest that uncovered the cocaine was valid. Trane contends that the officers lacked probable cause to arrest Trane for intoxication because the officers did not believe that Trane posed a danger to himself or anyone else. A person commits the crime of public intoxication under the Utah Code when that person is under the influence of alcohol . . . to a degree that the person may endanger himself or another, in a public place . . . where he unreasonably disturbs other persons. Utah Code Ann. § 76-9-701(1) (1999). ¶ 38 In this case, the officers had probable cause and statutory authorization to arrest Trane for intoxication because Trane committed the offense in the presence of the officers. Both officers heard the call from dispatch that a man was harassing or disturbing customers at a convenience store. When Bushman arrived at the store, the clerk indicated that Trane was the individual who had been disturbing others. Trane was in a public place: he was outside the convenience store near a bank of public telephones. ¶ 39 As the officers approached Trane, they each individually and independently noticed that Trane smelled of alcohol and exhibited signs of intoxication. For example, Bushman noticed that Trane was loud and behaving in a tumultuous-type manner. Dobrowolski noticed Trane was swaying, Trane's speech was slurred, and Trane appeared intoxicated. ¶ 40 The officers also noticed that Trane was intoxicated enough to potentially pose a danger to himself and others. The officers feared for their safety, recognizing from past experiences with intoxicated individuals that they could become violent. In this case, Trane was angry, was uncooperative, had puffed his chest out [and] took a defensive posture similar to a boxer, and initially would not release his identification card upon Bushman's request. Under such circumstances, the officers had probable cause to arrest Trane for intoxication. Therefore, because the officers had probable cause to arrest Trane for both interfering with a peace officer and intoxication, the search incident thereto did not violate either the Fourth Amendment or article I, section 14 of the Utah Constitution.