Court Opinion

ID: 9670603
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-08-24 03:23:21.744996+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T09:52:06.599440
License: Public Domain

SABERS, Justice
(concurring specially).
I write specially to point out that reckless driving and careless driving are not crimes divided by degrees. SDCL 23A-26-7. Careless driving is not necessarily or technically a lesser included offense of reckless driving. However, when a common sense review of the facts indicates that it would be difficult to commit the greater offense (reckless driving) without committing the lesser offense (careless driving), see Black I, 494 N.W.2d 377 (S.D.1993), then the instruction for the lesser offense should also be given. It was an abuse of discretion not to give it because no mitigating instructions were given here, as was done in Black I. Id. at 379. It is simply a matter of proper jury instructions and therefore I do not agree with the majority’s statement that “the jury could have convicted Tammi of only careless rather than reckless driving.” (Emphasis added.)