Court Opinion

ID: 9587717
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-08-21 23:25:33.559491+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T18:00:55.277751
License: Public Domain

Pope, Judge,
dissenting.
I cannot agree with the finding of the majority that the evidence in this case was sufficient to show that the appellant’s consumption of alcohol had rendered him a less safe driver, so as to authorize a conviction of D.U.I. in violation of OCGA § 40-6-391 (a) (1). Under cross-examination the arresting officer responded that the only thing that brought appellant’s driving to his attention was that his vehicle’s muffler was loud; that appellant was not “stumbling or falling down, or anything of that nature”; that appellant was cooperative and seemed to understand everything that was going on around him; and that other than the smell of alcohol, his bloodshot eyes and unsteadiness on his feet, there was nothing else about appellant that exhibited he might be under the influence of alcohol. More importantly, when asked whether or not from his experience as an officer these symptoms would affect someone’s driving, he answered that he did not know. Thus, there was no evidence, circumstantial or otherwise, that appellant was not driving safely. Compare Collum v. State, 186 Ga. App. 822 (368 SE2d 578) (1988), cited by the majority, in which this court held that the evidence of defendant’s blood alcohol content combined with direct testimony that defendant was driving at an erratic speed and weaving, authorized the conviction.
“ ‘Although [OCGA § 40-6-391 (a) (1)] does not state such, the requirement of proof that the driver be under the influence of alcohol to a degree which renders him less safe or incapable of safely driving has been judicially imported. [Cits.]’ Peters v. State, 175 Ga. App. 463 (1) (333 SE2d 436) [(1985)].”1 Groom v. State, 187 Ga. App. 398, 400 (2) (370 SE2d 643) (1988). Because, I disagree with the special concurrence to the extent it holds that the rebuttable presumption contained in OCGA § 40-6-392 (b) (3) is sufficient, without more, to show that the driver was a less safe driver, and because a reasonable doubt remains under the facts and circumstances of this case as to whether appellant was under the influence of alcohol to a degree which rendered him a less safe driver, I must respectfully dissent. Accord Mulling v. State, 156 Ga. App. 404 (1) (274 SE2d 770) (1980).
*306Decided November 16, 1988.
L. Howard Freeman, Jr., for appellant.
Richard W. Shelton, Solicitor, for appellee.
I am authorized to state that Judge Sognier and Judge Benham join in this dissent.

 As noted by the special concurrence, the July 1, 1988 amendment to OCGA § 40-6-391 (a) (1) codified the less safe to drive requirement which had previously been judicially imported.