Opinion ID: 1406117
Heading Depth: 3
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: Ward's Right to a Blood Test by a Facility of His Own Choice Was Denied.

Text: Alaska Statute 28.35.033(e) states: The person tested may have a physician, or a qualified technician, chemist, registered nurse, or other qualified person of the person's own choosing administer a chemical test in addition to the test administered at the direction of a law enforcement officer. The failure or inability to obtain an additional test by a person does not preclude the admission of evidence relating to the test taken at the direction of a law enforcement officer; the fact that the person under arrest sought to obtain such an additional test, and failed or was unable to do so, is likewise admissible in evidence. [5] Therefore, Ward had the right to have a blood test performed by a ... qualified person of [his] own choosing, i.e., by personnel at ANMC. The only reason given by the Troopers for not taking Ward to ANMC was that the state did not have a contract with ANMC. The state argues on appeal that the statute does not require the police to provide the driver with free transportation to the chosen facility, nor does it require the police to pay for the second test. See also Ward, 733 P.2d at 627. However, these concerns are not at issue in the instant case. Here the Troopers voluntarily offered to take Ward to the facility of his choice, began to drive him there, and then, en route, decided not to take him to ANMC because of the lack of a contract with the state. Furthermore, ANMC's Director of Ambulatory Care stated in his affidavit that the blood test would have been performed at Ward's request, and he did not dispute Ward's claim that it would have been performed at no cost to Ward or the state. The statute says nothing about contractual relationships between the state and qualified facilities for blood tests. It states only that the arrestee has the right to an additional test by a person of his or her own choosing. The Troopers denied Ward the right to obtain such a test after they had agreed to transport him to ANMC. This was a violation of Ward's right under AS 28.35.033(e).