Court Opinion

ID: 9855332
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-09-24 06:22:52.110257+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T09:25:40.088351
License: Public Domain

VANDE WALLE, Justice,
concurring specially.
It is as possible to construe Dingeman’s testimony that he told the jailer to book Throlson for DUS and DUI to mean that the directions were given in Throlson’s hearing or presence as it is to construe it to mean the directions were given out of his hearing or presence. If the statements were made in Throlson’s hearing or presence, it would, in my estimation, be sufficient to inform Throlson that he was under arrest for driving under the influence. However, the statute, section 39-20-01, NDCC, provides that before the test is to be administered the law enforcement officer must place the person under arrest and inform the person “that the person is or will be charged with the offense of driving or being in actual physical control of a vehicle ... while under the influence_”
As a result, I believe that where there is a question inherent in the testimony as to whether the statutory requirement was met there must be a specific finding as to that fact based on the hearing officer’s understanding of the evidence. Here there was no such specific finding and I concur in the result reached by the majority.