Humphrey v. Motor Vehicle Div., Dept. of Revenue, 83CA0020

Decision Date21 July 1983
Docket NumberNo. 83CA0020,83CA0020
Citation674 P.2d 987
PartiesRobin HUMPHREY, Plaintiff-Appellee, v. MOTOR VEHICLE DIVISION, DEPARTMENT OF REVENUE, State of Colorado, Defendant-Appellant. . I
CourtColorado Court of Appeals

Richard M. Borchers, Westminster, for plaintiff-appellee.

Duane Woodard, Atty. Gen., Charles B. Howe, Deputy Atty. Gen., Richard H. Forman, Sp. Asst. Atty. Gen., James R. Willis, Asst. Atty. Gen., Denver, for defendant-appellant.

BABCOCK, Judge.

The Department of Revenue appeals from an order of the district court reversing its three-month revocation of Robin Humphrey's driving privileges pursuant to the implied consent statute. We affirm.

The evidence at the revocation hearing established that a Colorado State patrolman was dispatched to the scene of a one-car accident, where he observed Humphrey in the damaged vehicle. Since Humphrey was complaining of pain, the patrolman arranged for his transportation to the hospital by ambulance and told Humphrey that he would "see him there."

After investigating the accident scene, the patrolman proceeded to the hospital where he met Humphrey in the emergency room and advised him of the implied consent procedure. Humphrey refused to submit to a test of his blood alcohol level, and the patrolman left the hospital. The following morning another patrolman served Humphrey in his hospital room with a summons for driving under the influence of alcohol.

The hearing officer found that the patrolman had reasonable grounds to believe Humphrey was driving under the influence of alcohol before he attempted to administer the implied consent procedure and, accordingly, revoked Humphrey's license for three months. On appeal, the district court reversed the revocation, finding that reasonable grounds had not been established, and that there was insufficient evidence in the record of an arrest.

The hearing officer did not address the issue of whether Humphrey was arrested before the patrolman implemented the implied consent procedure. The trial court concluded that there was insufficient evidence in the record of an arrest. We agree.

An arrest is a condition precedent to the state's request that a driver submit to a blood alcohol test. Section 42-4-1202(3)(a), C.R.S.1973, as amended; Ayala v. Department of Revenue, 43 Colo.App. 357, 603 P.2d 979 (1979).

In determining whether there has been an arrest, the objective or reasonable person standard applies, that is, whether in...

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2 cases
  • Sanger v. Colorado Dept. of Revenue, Motor Vehicle Div.
    • United States
    • Colorado Court of Appeals
    • March 26, 1987
    ...that a driver submit to a blood alcohol test. O'Rourke v. Motor Vehicle Division, 735 P.2d 207 (Colo.App.1987); Humphrey v. Motor Vehicle Division, 674 P.2d 987 (Colo.App.1983). At the hearing, although the officer who requested the blood test did testify, the arresting officer did not appe......
  • O'Rourke v. Motor Vehicle Div., Dept. of Revenue, 85CA1718
    • United States
    • Colorado Court of Appeals
    • February 5, 1987
    ...view of all the surrounding circumstances, a reasonable person would have believed he was not free to leave. See Humphrey v. Motor Vehicle Division, 674 P.2d 987 (Colo.App.1983). Applying this standard here, we conclude that, in view of the totality of the circumstances, O'Rourke was not ar......

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