IN THE COURT OF CRIMINAL APPEALS OF TENNESSEE
AT KNOXVILLE
JUNE 1999 SESSION
STATE OF TENNESSEE, )
) C.C.A. NO. 03C01-9808-CR-00283
Appellee, )
) MONROE COUNTY FILED
V.
S ) July 27, 1999
) HON. CARROLL L. ROSS,
MATT KROLL, ) JUDGE Cecil Crowson, Jr.
Appe llate Court
) Clerk
Appellant. ) (DrivingUndertheInfluence)
FORTHEAPPELLANT: F RT EA P L E :
O H P EL E
JULIE A. MARTIN PAUL G. SUMMERS
P.O.Box426 Attorney General &Reporter
Knoxville, TN 37901-0426
(OnAppeal) MARVIN S. BLAIR, JR.
Asst. Attorney General
CHARLES CORN JohnSevierBldg.
District PublicDefender 425FifthAve., North
Nashville, TN 37243-0493
THOMAS E. KIMBALL
Assistant PublicDefender JERRY N. ESTES
110½W ngton Ave No
ashi ., rtheast District Attorney General
Athens, TN 37303
(A T l)
t ria CHALMERS THOMPSON
Asst. District Attorney General
P.O.Box647
Athens, TN 37303
OPINIONFILED:____________________
AFFIRMED PURSUANT TO RULE 20
JOHN H. PEAY,
Judge
OPINION
Thede da c llenge th s
fen nt ha s e ufficie y o theev nc c victin h of d
nc f ide e on g im rivingun r theinfluen (D I),
de ce U
secondoffense, andtheadmissionoflaywitnessopiniontestim W affirmpursuant toRule20of theRulesof theCourt of
ony. e
Crim Appeals ofTennessee.
inal
A trial, theevidenceestablishedthat aschool busbacked or ro intothefront ofthecar thedefendant was
t lled
driving. Accordingtothetestim thedefendant left thesceneshortlyafterthecollision, butlaterreturnedandattem to park
ony, pted
thecar hewasdrivingbehindthebus inapproxim thesamepositionit hadbeenduringthecollision. Twocitizens, thebus
ately
driver andapasserby, testifiedthat intheir opinions, thedefendant appearedtobedrunk andshouldnothavebeenoperatinga
vehicle. Thearrestingofficer alsotestifiedthat thedefendant’sspeechwas unintelligible, that hewasunsteady onhisfeet and
neededtoleanagainst avehiclefor support, andthat hesmelledstronglyof alcohol. Accordingtotheofficer, thedefendant failed
a field sobriety test and was, in his opinion, impaired by an intoxicant to the extent he could not safely operate a vehicle. The
officer testifiedthat afterhearrestedth d nd t fo D I, the defenda refused a intoxime test. Ba onthis evidence
e efe an r U nt n ter sed
and the defense’s later stipulation to a prior DUI offense, the jury returned a gulty verdict for DU secondoffense.
i I,
Thedefendant nowarguesthattheconvictingevidenceisinsufficientbecausetherewa noscientificevidence
s
of the am of alcohol in his blood, no one saw him drinking alcohol, and the evidence showed he had trouble walking and
ount
perfo ingthefieldsobrietytestsbecausehehadundergonetwobacksurgerieswithinthepastthreeyears. Healsoarguesthat
rm
the trial court erred in adm into evidence the testim of the bus driver and the pa
itting ony sserby that the defendant wa so
s
intoxicatedthat his a todrivewasim
bility pairedbecause, thedefendant claim thisevidencewasnotproperlaywitnessopinion
s,
testimon O re wof th re rd and applicable lawdisc s n erro A ord
y. ur vie e co lose o r. cc ingly, w affirmthe tria court’s judgm
e l ent
pursuant toRule20of theRulesof theCourt ofCrim Appeals ofTennessee.
inal
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J O H N H . P E A Y , J u d g e
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C O N C U R :
______________________________
DAV G HAY Judge
ID . ES,
______________________________
JOH EV TTW
N ERE ILLIAM JudgeS,
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