FOR PUBLICATION
ATTORNEY FOR APPELLANT: ATTORNEYS FOR APPELLEE:
STEVEN M. BUSH JEFFREY A. MODISETT
Millbranth & Bush Attorney General of Indiana
Valparaiso, Indiana
PRESTON W. BLACK
Deputy Attorney General
Indianapolis, Indiana
JEFFREY D. HORNBACK, )
)
Appellant-Defendant, )
)
vs. ) No. 09A02-9705-CR-317
)
STATE OF INDIANA, )
)
Appellee-Plaintiff. )
OPINION - FOR PUBLICATION
2. Did the trial court err in admitting the results of Hornback's breath test?
3. Did the trial court err in denying Hornback's motion for judgment on the
evidence?
Officer Miller walked up to the vehicle and asked its driver, Jeffrey Hornback, for his
driver's license and registration. Officer Miller noticed "an odor of alcohol that was coming
from the vehicle" and a wine bottle on the front seat. (R. 81). The officer further noted that
Hornback's breath smelled of alcoholic beverages and that his eyes were bloodshot.
The officer asked Hornback to perform several field sobriety tests. On the "finger to
nose" test, Hornback was able to touch his nose tip with his index fingers but touched the
side of his nose when using his left little finger. On the "heel to toe" test, Hornback walked
heel-to-toe for the requested ten steps, but then as he turned around he took a side step,
shuffling one foot out to the side to catch his balance. When asked to recite the alphabet
from F to Q, Hornback first recited "F, G, H, I," and then on a second try he started at F but
continued past Q to the letter T. Thereafter, Officer Miller advised Hornback of the implied
consent law, and Hornback agreed to submit to a chemical test for intoxication. Officer
Miller, a certified breath test operator, administered a breath test to Hornback at the Cass
County Jail, using a BAC Datamaster machine. The results of the test indicated that
Hornback had a blood alcohol content of .12%.
After a jury trial on November 19 and 20, 1996, the jury found Hornback guilty of
driving while intoxicated, a class A misdemeanor, and operating a vehicle with a blood
alcohol content of .10% or more, a class C misdemeanor. Subsequently, Hornback filed a
motion for judgment on the evidence, which the trial court denied.
Hornback claims the trial court erred by taking judicial notice of the rules and
regulations promulgated by the Indiana Department of Toxicology . Specifically, he argues
that under the evidence rules, when judicial notice is mandatory, such notice must be
requested by a party. Because notice was not requested here, he concludes, the trial court
erred in taking judicial notice sua sponte.
As the State observes, Hornback failed to present this question to the trial court.
Absent a showing of fundamental error, a party may not raise an issue on appeal when that
issue was not raised at trial. Lloyd v. State, 669 N.E.2d 980, 984 (Ind. 1996). Waiver
notwithstanding, we look to Ind.Evidence Rule 201, which provides as follows:
(b) Kinds of Laws. A Court may take judicial notice of law. Law includes
. . . published regulations of governmental agencies . . . .
(c) When Discretionary. A court may take judicial notice, whether requested
or not.
(d) When Mandatory. A court shall take judicial notice if requested by a
party and supplied with necessary information.
Hornback's argument based upon the language of this rule is sophistic. As the State observes, the discretion granted the trial court under part (c) of the rule is not eliminated by part (d) of the rule. Further, in Baran v. State, 639 N.E.2d 642, 647 (Ind. 1994), our supreme court specifically declared that "courts are required to take judicial notice of the regulations concerning breath testing." (citing Ind.Code § 4-22-9-3 and Hatch v. State, 547 N.E.2d 276, 277 (Ind. Ct. App. 1989)) (emphasis added). Therefore, when the law requires a court to take
judicial notice, no request from a party is necessary in order for the court to take such judicial
notice. We find no error here.
2. Admission of Hornback's Breath Test
Hornback claims the trial court erred by allowing the State to submit into evidence
breath test results showing his blood alcohol content because the State failed to lay the proper
foundation for the introduction of those test results. We are unable to discern his exact
argument in this regard, as he discusses it "together" with the previous issue, finding it
"inextricably related." Hornback's Brief at 16. However, as the State correctly notes, the
following three foundational elements are required for admission of breathalyzer test results:
(1) the test was administered by an operator certified by the State Department
of Toxicology;
(2) the equipment used in the test was inspected and approved by the State
Department of Toxicology;
(3) the operator used techniques approved by the State Department of
Toxicology.
Nasser v. State, 646 N.E.2d 673, 675 (Ind. Ct. App. 1995); Baran v. State, 639 N.E.2d 642,
645-46 (Ind. 1994); Ind.Code § 9-30-6-5(d).
Evidence that Officer Miller was certified and that the BAC Datamaster had been
inspected for compliance was admitted. Further evidence showed that Officer Miller had
employed the approved techniques for conducting the breath test. Sufficient foundation was
established to permit the admission of Hornback's breath test results.
3. Judgment on the Evidence
The standard of review for a denial of a motion for judgment on the evidence is the
same as that for a challenge to the sufficiency of the evidence. Jones v. State, 472 N.E.2d
1255, 1259 (Ind. 1985). On a claim that the evidence is insufficient to support a jury's
verdict, we neither weigh the evidence nor judge the credibility of witnesses. Allen v. State,
575 N.E.2d 615 (Ind. 1991). We consider only the evidence favorable to the jury's verdict,
along with all reasonable inferences that can be drawn therefrom. Id. If there is substantial
evidence of probative value to support the conclusion of the jury, we will affirm their
determination. Id.
Hornback contends the trial court erred by denying his motion for judgment on the
evidence following the jury verdict. With respect to the conviction for operating a vehicle
with a blood alcohol content of .10% or more, he directs us to the specific testimony of
Hornback's physician and a toxicology expert. With respect to the conviction for driving
while intoxicated, he emphasizes various other testimony.
Ind.Code 9-30-5-1(a) makes it a class C misdemeanor to operate a vehicle with .10%
or more by weight of alcohol in one's blood. Evidence was properly admitted which showed
that Hornback's blood contained .12% alcohol by weight. This evidence is sufficient to
support the jury's conclusion that Hornback was guilty on this charge.
"Intoxicated" means being under the influence of alcohol such that there is an
impaired condition of thought and action and the loss of normal control of a person's faculties
to the extent that endangers a person. Platt v. State, 589 N.E.2d 222, 227 (Ind. 1992);
Ind.Code § 9-13-2-86. Evidence that a driver of a motor vehicle (1) has committed a traffic
violation, (2) exhibits evidence of intoxication, and (3) has a blood alcohol content of .10%
or more, will sustain a conviction for operating a motor vehicle while intoxicated. Hartman
v. State, 615 N.E.2d 455, 461 (Ind. Ct. App. 1993).
Hartman committed a traffic violation when he crossed the roadway's center line two
times. See Ind.Code § 9-21-8-2. Hartman's difficulty in performing the field sobriety tests,
the odor of alcohol from within his car and on his breath, and his bloodshot eyes were
evidence of intoxication. Finally, his blood alcohol content was .12%. Sufficient evidence
supports the jury's conclusion that Hornback was guilty of driving while intoxicated.
We affirm the trial court's denial of Hornback's motion for judgment on the evidence.
However, we sua sponte note Hornback's convictions for both the charged offenses.
The offense of operating a vehicle with a BAC of .10% or more is a lesser included offense
of operating a vehicle while intoxicated. See Kremer v. State, 643 N.E.2d 357, 361 (Ind. Ct.
App. 1994). The State can charge a defendant with both the greater and the lesser included
offense, but convictions for both offenses cannot stand. Id. When a defendant is found
guilty of both the greater and lesser included offenses, the convictions merge, and sentences
cannot be imposed on both counts. Id. According to the record, the trial court sentenced
Hornback only for the driving while intoxicated offense, indicating that the court considered
the convictions merged. Nevertheless, the record does not reflect that the latter conviction
was actually vacated. Because Hornback's conviction for operating a vehicle with a BAC
of .10% or more should be vacated, we remand to the trial court for that purpose.
RUCKER, J., and GARRARD, J., concur.
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