Cox v. Dir. of Revenue
| Decision Date | 07 December 2000 |
| Citation | 37 S.W.3d 304 |
| Parties | (Mo.App. S.D. 2000) Brandon L. Cox, Petitioner-Respondent, v. Director of Revenue, State of Missouri, Respondent-Appellant. 23308 |
| Court | Missouri Court of Appeals |
Appeal From: Circuit Court of Christian County, Hon. John S. Waters
Counsel for Appellant: Evan J. Buchheim
Counsel for Respondent: No appearance
Opinion Summary: None
This is an appeal by Missouri's Director of Revenue ("Director") from a judgment restoring driving privileges for Brandon L. Cox ("Cox"). The appeal followed a trial de novo after an administrative suspension of Cox's driving privileges under sections 302.500, et. seq.1 Director had ordered the suspension after Cox was arrested for allegedly driving while intoxicated ("DWI"), section 577.010. The issue on appeal is whether the evidence presented to the trial judge compelled a finding that the arresting officer had probable cause to believe Cox had driven a motor vehicle found wrecked on a public highway.
On January 6, 1997, at approximately 12:39 a.m., Trooper M. A. Bernier ("Bernier") of the highway patrol, was directed to investigate a motor vehicle accident in rural Christian County, Missouri. Upon his arrival, Bernier found an unconscious male on the ground, lying outside of and north of an overturned pickup truck. In his accident report, Bernier described the man's injuries as "disabling" and "serious" to the point that he was unable to respond to any questioning. In that regard, Bernier reported he was "unable to interview [the man] due to injuries" and never gave him a Miranda or "implied consent" warning because he was unconscious. Ultimately -- although when this occurred is unclear -- the injured man was "transported by helicopter" to a Springfield hospital.
As to the accident scene, Bernier's report showed that the door on the driver's side of the pickup was torn off. The pickup itself was overturned with its left side downward and the front of the vehicle headed west. Bernier reported "[n]umerous empty beer cans were located within and around the vehicle." Additionally, Bernier noted that the "interior of the vehicle smelled strongly of intoxicants" as did the man lying on the ground. The record does not reflect how or when Bernier was able to identify the injured man as Cox or learned the overturned vehicle was owned by Cox.
At the hospital, a blood sample was taken from Cox. Analysis of that sample revealed a blood alcohol content of 0.11%. On an "Alcohol Influence Report" form, Bernier reported he arrested Cox on January 6, 1997, at "0125" in Christian County, Missouri.
Upon receipt of the above information, Director revoked Cox's driving privileges under section 302.050 for driving with an alcohol concentration of at least 0.10%. Cox filed a petition with the Christian County circuit court seeking review of Director's action. At a trial de novo before that court, Director and Cox agreed to submit the case by stipulation and on the Department of Revenue certified records. The trial court ruled for Cox and against Director. This appeal followed.
Review of this nonjury case is under Rule 84.13(d).2 As the rule is interpreted, this court is to affirm the trial court's decision unless it is unsupported by substantial evidence, it is against the weight of the evidence, or it erroneously declares or applies the law. Rogers v. Director of Revenue, 947 S.W.2d 475, 477 (Mo.App. 1997) (citing Murphy v. Carron, 536 S.W.2d 30, 32 (Mo.banc 1976)).
Director's single point relied on maintains the trial court erred in setting aside Director's revocation of Cox's driving privileges. Director insists the trial court misinterpreted the law and that its judgment was against the weight of the evidence "in that the Director proved a prima facie case that the arresting officer had probable cause to arrest Cox for DWI." Cox counters that the trial court's finding that Bernier lacked probable cause to arrest him for DWI was supported by the record.
Under section 302.505.1, RSMo 1996, Director has the burden to establish that the arresting officer had probable cause to make the initial arrest and that the chemical analysis showed a blood alcohol content of at least 0.10% by weight. Mayberry v. Director of Revenue, 983 S.W.2d 628, 631 (Mo.App. 1999). Because the parties stipulated to the blood alcohol content, the single issue is whether the evidence compelled a finding that Bernier had probable cause to arrest Cox for driving the wrecked vehicle.
An evaluation of probable cause to arrest is made in the context of whether the facts and circumstances would warrant an individual of reasonable caution to believe that an offense has been committed. Mayberry, 983 S.W.2d at 631. Specifically, a decision on whether an officer had probable cause to make an arrest must be made by viewing the situation as it would have appeared to a prudent, cautious, and trained police officer. Id.
"The type of facts needed to determine probable cause are found in the definition of the substantive offense and in case law dealing with the sufficiency of the evidence to convict of the substantive offense." Wilcox v. Director of Revenue, 842 S.W.2d 240, 242 (Mo.App. 1992).3 However, "a vast gulf exists between the quantum of information necessary to establish probable cause and the quantum of evidence required to prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt" which is necessary in DWI cases. Wilcox, 842 S.W.2d at 243.
"To form a belief amounting to probable cause, the arresting officer need not possess all the information concerning the offense and the arrestee's participation in it." Id. Circumstantial evidence may be relied on when the arresting officer does not actually see who operated the motor vehicle. Mayberry, 983 S.W.2d at 631. Accordingly, it is not necessary for an officer to actually observe a person driving in order to have probable cause to arrest for DWI.4 Id. "Circumstantial evidence means evidence that does not directly prove a fact in issue but gives rise to a logical inference that the fact exists." State v. Harris, 807 S.W.2d 528, 529 (Mo.App. 1991).
On the other hand, "mere suspicion is insufficient to establish probable cause." Wilcox, 842 S.W.2d at 243. Probability and reasonableness characterize the concept of probable cause. Id. Probable cause is a fluid concept and, as such, turns on the assessment of the probabilities in particular factual contexts. Id..
The Director relies on the following cases: McCabe v. Director of Revenue., 7 S.W.3d 12 (Mo.App. 1999); Pendergrass v. Director of Revenue, 4 S.W.3d 599 (Mo.App. 1999); Simmons v. Director of Revenue., 3 S.W.3d 897 (Mo.App. 1999); McDaniel v. Lohman, 989 S.W.2d 688 (Mo.App. 1999); Haas v. Director of Revenue, 975 S.W.2d 483 (Mo.App. 1998); Baptist, 971 S.W.2d at 367; Pappin v. Director of Revenue, 958 S.W.2d 591 (Mo.App 1998); and Wilcox, 842 S.W.2d at 241. However, the facts, in these cases differ from the instant case in at least one respect. In all of the Director's cases, we find either an admission of driving, a person found behind the steering wheel, or a witness who identified the driver. None of these facts are present here. Nevertheless, we find no factually similar case to this one which would uphold the trial court's determination.
Therefore, we are left on our own to decide whether the facts in this case would not allow a prudent, cautious, and trained police officer to arrest Cox for driving while intoxicated. We must also keep in mind that Bernier was entitled to rely on the circumstantial evidence at the accident scene in deciding whether to make an arrest.
Upon arriving at the accident scene late at night in a rural location, Bernier found a seriously injured person lying next to a heavily damaged vehicle owned by the injured person. No other person was present. Bernier smelled intoxicants inside the wrecked vehicle and on the injured person. Empty beer cans were found in and around the vehicle. Certainly, this circumstantial evidence does not directly prove Cox was driving the wrecked vehicle. However, this evidence plainly gives rise to a logical inference that Cox was the driver. No other evidence exists which detracts from this inference.
The evidence in this case is stronger than the evidence in Mayberry, 983 S.W.2d at 628. In Mayberry, there were other persons in the proximity of the parked vehicle in question who could have been driving it. Under those circumstances, this Court held that a law enforcement officer who did...
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