Com. v. Monroe, D.

J-A22003-14 NON-PRECEDENTIAL DECISION - SEE SUPERIOR COURT I.O.P. 65.37 COMMONWEALTH OF PENNSYLVANIA IN THE SUPERIOR COURT OF PENNSYLVANIA Appellee v. DALE ROBERT MONROE Appellant No. 101 MDA 2014 Appeal from the Judgment of Sentence December 13, 2013 In the Court of Common Pleas of York County Criminal Division at No(s): CP-67-CR-0001005-2013 BEFORE: PANELLA, J., SHOGAN, J., and FITZGERALD, J.* JUDGMENT ORDER BY PANELLA, J. FILED FEBRUARY 19, 2015 Appellant, Dale Robert Monroe, appeals from the judgment of sentence entered December 13, 2013, by the Honorable John S. Kennedy, Court of Common Pleas of York County. No relief is due. The trial court summarized the facts of this case as follows. On December 10, 2012, at 6:47 p.m., Officer Albert Miles, was on patrol in his marked police vehicle, stationed at the Fawn Grove Boro Rutter[’]s parking lot. During his patrol he noticed a [b]lack 2008 Chevrolet Silverado parked in a parking [space] with a white male driver in the driver’s seat. Pursuant to his normal job duties, he ran a PennDOT records check which indicated that the registered owner, Dale Robert Monroe, the Appellant in this case, had a license status of DUI Suspended. The officer then pulled up the PennDOT picture of the registered owner and it matched the white male sitting in the driver seat. The ____________________________________________ * Former Justice specially assigned to the Superior Court. J-A22003-14 officer observed the vehicle from a distance until the vehicle began to pull out of the Rutter’s parking lot. Upon exiting the parking lot, the officer activated his emergency lights and conducted a traffic stop. Officer Miles approached the vehicle and explained to the driver why he pulled him over. The driver related to the officer that he had a license, but handed him, instead, a change of address card. The driver then related that he does not have a picture license. The driver then handed the officer his oil change paper work along with his registration and insurance. While engaging the driver, the officer detected a moderate odor of an alcoholic beverage emanating from the driver’s breath and person. The driver’s eyes were also bloodshot and glassy. The driver indicated that he had not been drinking, when questioned. Officer Miles identified the driver as Dale Monroe, the Appellant in this case, by his passport. Appellant related that there was alcohol in one of the cup holders. Officer Miles requested that Appellant exit the vehicle and perform field sobriety tests. When Appellant opened the door, the officer observed an open glass bottle of Bud Light Lime in the driver['s] door cup holder that was half-full. Upon exiting the vehicle, Appellant was unsure of his footing. Upon complete of field sobriety tests, Officer Miles placed Appellant into custody and transported him to York Hospital for a blood draw. The lab results indicated a blood alcohol content of .101, and the presence of Diazepam, Nordiazepam, and Morphone-Free in Appellant’s blood. Trial Court Opinion, 3/14/14 at 2-3 (unnumbered). Appellant was arrested and charged with four counts of Driving Under the Influence of Alcohol or Controlled Substance,1 Driving While BAC .02 or Greater While License Suspended-DUI Related,2 Careless Driving,3 and ____________________________________________ 1 75 Pa.C.S.A. §§ 3802(a)(1), (b), (d)(1)(ii) and (d)(3). 2 75 Pa.C.S.A. § 1543(b)(1.1)(i). -2- J-A22003-14 Restriction of Alcoholic Beverages.4 Appellant filed an Omnibus Pre-Trial Motion to suppress physical evidence. Following a suppression hearing, the trial court denied Appellant’s motion. A bench trial was conducted and the trial court convicted Appellant of two counts of DUI5 and Driving While BAC .02 or Greater While License Suspended-DUI Related. The trial court sentenced Appellant on December 13, 2013. This timely appeal followed. On appeal, Appellant argues that Officer Miles lacked both reasonable suspicion to believe that a violation of the vehicle code had occurred and probable cause to believe that Appellant was driving while impaired. We have reviewed Appellant’s brief, the relevant law, the certified record, and the well-written opinion of the able trial judge, the Honorable John S. Kennedy. We find that the trial court’s opinion, filed on March 14, 2014, ably and comprehensively disposes of Appellant’s issues on appeal, with appropriate reference to the record and without legal error. Therefore, we affirm on the basis of that opinion. _______________________ (Footnote Continued) 3 75 Pa.C.S.A. § 3714. 4 75 Pa.C.S.A. § 3809. 5 75 Pa.C.S.A. §§ 3802(b) and (d)(1)(ii). -3- J-A22003-14 Judgment of sentence affirmed. Judgment Entered. Joseph D. Seletyn, Esq. Prothonotary Date: 2/19/2015 -4- Circulated 01/29/2015 12:37 PM I"" ~,.! ' !..~ , !.J. -- - - ---- ---tt1 1fr---------- ---- ---- ---- - - - - - ---- ---- ---------------------4 t- IN THE COURT OF COMMON PLEAS, YORK COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA CRIMINAL DIVISION COMMONWEALTH OF No. CP-67-CR-I00S-2013 !.!. PENNSYLVANIA ' ....., tt;:;) (,") (\.... r- TT'10 '3; ,.,.. c: :: eJ"< r VS. ;1:}O :tl. -c:.'\( I''': ;:r.;:2t :;;:d g~c ~~C qO ~>~'~-'II: ~>~~~ "'; DALE R. MONROE -rl