Com. v. Sperl, S. ( 2017 )

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NON-PRECEDENTIAL DECISION - SEE SUPERIOR COURT I.O.P. 65.37
COMMONWEALTH OF PENNSYLVANIA IN THE SUPERIOR COURT
OF
PENNSYLVANIA
Appellee
v.
SEAN CHRISTOPHER SPERL
Appellant No. 2065 EDA 2016
Appeal from the Judgment of Sentence April 15, 2016
In the Court of Common Pleas of Montgomery County
Criminal Division at No(s): CP-46-CR-0005172-2013
BEFORE: LAZARUS, J., OTT, J., and FITZGERALD, J.*
MEMORANDUM BY LAZARUS, J.: FILED SEPTEMBER 29, 2017
Sean Christopher Sperl appeals from the judgment of sentence, entered
in the Court of Common Pleas of Montgomery County, after a jury convicted
him of homicide by vehicle1 and accident involving death or personal injury.2
After careful review, we affirm.
On April 22, 2013, Sperl, Ryan Benner, Ted Stoler and Ryan Petrille
attended a Philadelphia Phillies baseball game at Citizens Bank Park; during
the game, Sperl consumed several alcoholic beverages, including beer and
whiskey. Afterward, Stoler drove Sperl, Benner and Petrille back to his home
____________________________________________
*
Former Justice specially assigned to the Superior Court.
1
75 Pa.C.S.A. § 3732.
2
75 Pa.C.S.A. § 3742.
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in Landsdale, Montgomery County. At approximately 11:30 p.m., Sperl,
Benner and Petrille left Stoler’s home to drive to a nearby gentleman’s club;
Sperl was driving the vehicle. After discovering the club was closed, the three
men detoured to a convenience store before continuing to a different
gentleman’s club in Harleysville, Montgomery County. Sperl was still driving
the vehicle on the way to Harleysville; Benner sat in the front seat and Petrille
sat in the back seat. Shortly after 12:00 a.m., on April 23, 2012, the vehicle
Sperl was operating struck a telephone poll while traveling at approximately
80 miles per hour. The collision separated the front of the vehicle from the
rear, with the front of the vehicle coming to rest approximately 100 feet from
the telephone pole and the rear portion coming to a stop 100 feet away from
the telephone pole opposite of the front portion.
After the collision, Sperl and Benner exited the front portion of the
vehicle; Sperl did not remain at the scene of the accident. Ryan Petrille did
not survive the collision. At approximately 12:12 a.m., police responded to a
radio dispatch of a one-car accident. At approximately 3:30 a.m., during the
course of the investigation, police received a report of a disturbance at a
residence at 31 Sugar Hill Lane, located approximately 100 to 200 feet from
the collision scene. The residence at 31 Sugar Hill Lane reported that Sperl
had knocked on the door after awakening inside a shed located on the
property. When police arrived, Sperl indicated that he thought he might have
been in a crash that killed someone. Sperl was visibly injured, his eyes were
glassy and bloodshot, and he had a strong odor of alcohol coming from his
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person and breath, but police did not perform a field sobriety test for safety
purposes. After being transported to a local hospital, Sperl’s blood was drawn
at 4:44 a.m., which revealed a blood alcohol content of 0.175 percent.
On July 10, 2013, Sperl was charged with homicide by vehicle, accident
involving death or personal injury, homicide by vehicle while driving under the
influence,3 driving under the influence (DUI)4 and other related summary
offenses, including careless driving5. A jury trial commenced on November 2,
2015. On the morning of the trial, over Sperl’s objection, the Commonwealth
was granted permission to amend the homicide by vehicle charge to include
careless driving as the underlying Motor Vehicle Code violation. The original
criminal information charged driving under the influence as the underlying
offense. The jury convicted Sperl of all but the DUI-related offenses. On April
15, 2015, the trial court sentenced Sperl to an aggregate sentence of three to
six years’ imprisonment. Sperl timely filed a motion for reconsideration of
sentence and for a new trial, which the trial court denied by order on June 20,
2016. Sperl timely appealed and filed a concise statement of errors
complained of on appeal pursuant to Pa.R.A.P. 1925(b). On appeal, Sperl
raises the following issues:
1. Did the court err by allowing the Commonwealth to amend
count 3 of the information, homicide by vehicle, on the first day
____________________________________________
3
75 Pa.C.S.A. § 3735.
4
75 Pa.C.S.A. § 3802.
5
75 Pa.C.S.A. § 3714.
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of testimony in violation of Rule 564 and causing substantial
prejudice to [Sperl]?
2. Did the court err by refusing [Sperl’s] motion to dismiss the
Commonwealth’s case pursuant to Pa.R.Crim.P. 600 after the
Commonwealth failed to bring [Sperl] to trial [within] 365 days?
3. Even when viewing the evidence in the light most favorable to
the Commonwealth[,] was the evidence lacking as a matter of law
to sustain a conviction for accidents involving death or bodily
injury as there was insufficient evidence tending to show that
[Sperl] failed to remain at the scene of the accident?
4. Did the court err in sentencing by failing to consider the
rehabilitative needs of [Sperl] or the gravity of the offense,
instead imposing a lengthy state sentence for careless and
negligent conduct?
Brief of Appellant, at 5.
Sperl first claims that the trial court substantially prejudiced his defense
by allowing the Commonwealth to amend the homicide by vehicle charge.
Specifically, Sperl avers the trial court erred in allowing the Commonwealth to
change the underlying offense of his homicide by vehicle charge from DUI to
careless driving.
Pennsylvania Rule of Criminal Procedure 564 provides as follows:
The court may allow an information to be amended when
there is a defect in form, the description of the offense(s), the
description of any person or any property, or the date charged,
provided the information as amended does not charge an
additional or different offense. Upon amendment, the court may
grant such postponement of trial or other relief as is necessary in
the interests of justice.
Pa.R.Crim.P. Rule 564 (emphasis added). “The purpose of Rule 564 is to
ensure that a defendant is fully apprised of the charges, and to avoid prejudice
by prohibiting the last minute addition of alleged criminal acts of which the
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defendant is uninformed.” Commonwealth v. Sinclair, 897 A.2d 1218,
1221 (Pa. Super. 2006). Accordingly, this court must determine
[w]hether the crimes specified in the original indictment or
information involve the same basic elements and evolved out of
the same factual situation as the crimes specified in the amended
indictment or information. If so, then the defendant is deemed to
have been placed on notice regarding his alleged criminal conduct.
If, however, the amended provision alleges a different set of
events, or the elements or defenses to the amended crime are
materially different from the elements or defenses to the crime
originally charged, such that the defendant would be prejudiced
by the change, then the amendment is not permitted.
Id. (citation omitted). In determining whether an amendment is prejudicial,
we consider the following factors:
(1) whether the amendment changes the factual scenario
supporting the charges; (2) whether the amendment adds new
facts previously unknown to the defendant; (3) whether the entire
factual scenario was developed during a preliminary hearing; (4)
whether the description of the charges changed with the
amendment; (5) whether a change in defense strategy was
necessitated by the amendment; and (6) whether the timing of
the Commonwealth's request for amendment allowed for ample
notice and preparation.
Commonwealth v. Mentzer, 18 A.3d 1200, 1203 (Pa. Super. 2011). In
short, in reviewing an order granting a motion to amend charges, we must
look to determine whether the defendant is fully apprised of the charges
against him. See Commonwealth v. Picchianti, 600 A.2d 597 (Pa. Super.
1991). Where charges involve the same basic elements and arise out of the
same factual situation as the crimes specified in the amended charges, a
defendant is deemed to have been placed on notice regarding his alleged
criminal conduct and no prejudice to defendant results. Id.-5-
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Here, the trial court granted the Commonwealth’s request to amend the
charge of homicide by vehicle, which provides, in relevant part, as follows:
(a) Offense.--Any person who recklessly or with gross
negligence causes the death of another person while engaged in
the violation of any law of this Commonwealth or municipal
ordinance applying to the operation or use of a vehicle or to the
regulation of traffic except section 3802 (relating to driving under
influence of alcohol or controlled substance) is guilty of homicide
by vehicle, a felony of the third degree, when the violation is the
cause of death.
75 Pa.C.S.A. § 3732(a). To establish the offense of homicide by vehicle the
Commonwealth must establish only that: (1) the defendant deviated from
standard of care established by the underlying traffic regulation; (2) the
defendant knew or should have known he engaged in conduct claimed to be
in violation of the underlying traffic violation; and (3) a death occurred, and
that death was at the very least a probable consequence of defendant’s
violation of the underlying traffic violation. See Commonwealth v.
Richardson, 452 A.2d 1379 (Pa. Super. 1982). Initially, Sperl’s criminal
information reflected DUI as the underlying offense for homicide by vehicle.
Generally, “an individual may not drive . . . a vehicle after imbibing a sufficient
amount of alcohol such that the individual is rendered incapable of safely
driving.” 75 Pa.C.S.A. § 3802(a). However, on the first day of Sperl’s jury
trial, the Commonwealth requested to change the underlying offense from DUI
to careless driving. Any person who drives a vehicle in careless disregard for
the safety of another person is guilty of careless driving, which is a summary
offense. See 75 Pa.C.S.A. § 3714.
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Here, the Commonwealth sought to remedy a defect in the criminal
information; the underlying offense for homicide by vehicle was incorrect. The
Commonwealth’s amendment of the charge did not serve to change the factual
scenario supporting the charges of homicide by vehicle, DUI or careless
driving. Sperl had been placed on notice of the underlying charge of careless
driving, as it was included in the original criminal information and arose out
of the same factual situation. Picchianti, supra. Further, the
Commonwealth’s request did not deprive Sperl of ample notice and/or
preparation. Sperl was charged with careless driving in a separate count on
July 10, 2013, more than two years before his jury trial, and thus, Sperl had
reasonable notice that careless driving was a Motor Vehicle offense that the
Commonwealth could potentially use to prove homicide by vehicle. See
Commonwealth v. Wilkinson, 420 A.2d 647 (Pa. Super. 2008) (criminal
complaint which informed defendant that she was charged with homicide by
vehicle and gave details of incident and also charged defendant with driving
under influence gave defendant fair notice of Commonwealth’s theory that her
driving under influence caused death). Additionally, amending Sperl’s charges
to reflect a different underlying Motor Vehicle Code violation for homicide by
vehicle did not fundamentally alter the elements of the crime the
Commonwealth had the burden of proving. The offense underlying a charge
of homicide by vehicle has no bearing on the elements necessary to prove it.
In fact, it is not necessary at all for the Commonwealth to separately charge
a violation of the motor vehicle code to establish the elements of homicide by
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vehicle. See Commonwealth v. Gbur, 474 A.2d 1151 (Pa. Super. 1984).
In light of the foregoing, we discern no error in the trial court’s granting of the
Commonwealth’s request to amend Sperl’s charges.
Next, Sperl claims the Commonwealth failed to comply with
Pa.R.Crim.P. 600, and thus the trial court erred in denying his motion to
dismiss. Rule 600 provides, in relevant part, as follows:
Trial in a court case in which a written complaint is filed against
the defendant, when the defendant is at liberty on bail, shall
commence no later than 365 days from the date on which the
complaint is filed.
Pa.R.Crim.P. 600(A)(3). Our standard and scope of review in reviewing a Rule
600 issue are both well settled.
In evaluating Rule 600 issues, our standard of review of a trial
court’s decision is whether the trial court abused its discretion.
Judicial discretion requires action in conformity with law, upon
facts and circumstances judicially before the court, after hearing
and due consideration. An abuse of discretion is not merely an
error of judgment, but if in reaching a conclusion the law is
overridden or misapplied or the judgment exercised is manifestly
unreasonable, or the result of partiality, prejudice, bias, or ill will,
as shown by the evidence or the record, discretion is abused.
The proper scope of review . . . is limited to the evidence on the
record of the Rule 600 evidentiary hearing, and the findings of the
trial court. An appellate court must view the facts in the light most
favorable to the prevailing party.
Additionally, when considering the trial court’s ruling, this Court is
not permitted to ignore the dual purpose behind Rule 600. Rule
600 serves two equally important functions: (1) the protection of
the accused’s speedy trial rights, and (2) the protection of society.
In determining whether an accused’s right to a speedy trial has
been violated, consideration must be given to society’s right to
effective prosecution of criminal cases, both to restrain those
guilty of crime and to deter those contemplating it. However, the
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administrative mandate of Rule 600 was not designed to insulate
the criminally accused from good faith prosecution delayed
through no fault of the Commonwealth.
So long as there has been no misconduct on the part of
the Commonwealth in an effort to evade the fundamental speedy
trial rights of an accused, Rule 600 must be construed in a manner
consistent with society’s right to punish and deter crime. In
considering these matters . . ., courts must carefully factor into
the ultimate equation not only the prerogatives of the individual
accused, but the collective right of the community to vigorous law
enforcement as well.
Commonwealth v. Peterson, 19 A.3d 1131, 1134-35 (Pa. Super. 2011)
(citations omitted). The Commonwealth bears the burden of proving, by a
preponderance of the evidence, that it acted with due diligence throughout
the proceedings. Commonwealth v. Kearse, 890 A.2d 388, 393 (Pa. Super.
2005).
We embark on our review of the instant Rule 600 claim by calculating
Sperl’s mechanical run date. See Commonwealth v. Lynn, 815 A.2d 1053,
1056 (Pa. Super. 2003) (mechanical run date is date by which trial must
commence under Rule 600). The Commonwealth charged Sperl with the
foregoing crimes on July 10, 2013, and thus, Rule 600 required his trial begin
no later than July 10, 2014, absent periods of delay not attributable to the
lack of due diligence by the Commonwealth. Here, Sperl filed a motion to
dismiss under Rule 600 on August 20, 2015, 771 days after his mechanical
run date. On September 18, 2015, the trial court held an evidentiary hearing
on Sperl’s Rule 600 motion. The Honorable Gary S. Silow aptly summarized
the findings of the evidentiary hearing as follows:
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[F]ollowing the filing of the criminal complaint, defendant
waived his arraignment and trial counsel entered his appearance
on August 12, 2013. Defendant filed a petition for writ of habeas
corpus on August 28, 2013. The motion was denied on September
10, 2013. The intervening 13 days are not attributable to the
Commonwealth. [Sperl] subsequently executed a Rule 600 waiver
on October 29, 2013, and the pre-trial conference [(PTC)]
scheduled for that day was continued. Pre -trial conferences again
were continued at defendant's request on February 10, 2014, and
April 8, 2014, at which time the case was placed on the Call of the
Trial List [(COT list)]. The matter appeared on the COT list on
June 5, 2014, and was continued by defense request. Defense
counsel subsequently filed a petition to withdraw as counsel on
June 25, 2014. The petition was withdrawn July 2, 2014. [Sperl]
then waived Rule 600 on August 7, 2014, when the matter again
appeared on the COT list. Similar listings were continued by
defense request on October 9, 2014, and December 1, 2014. The
combined period of time counted against [Sperl] from the original
Rule 600 waiver until December 1, 2015, is 398 days.
The case subsequently was transferred to the undersigned,
who issued an Order on April 6, 2015, scheduling a five -day trial
to begin on September 9, 2015. Two days later, defense counsel
again filed a petition to withdraw as counsel on April 8, 2015.
Defense counsel remained in the case following the advice of the
Public Defender's Office that defendant did not qualify for
representation. This court subsequently issued an Order on
September 8, 2015, rescheduling the trial until November 2,
2015. The Order also granted defendant 45 days to obtain a cell
phone expert due to recently disclosed evidence from the
Commonwealth and counted that 45 day period against the
Commonwealth. Based upon the above, even without including
the period of delay occasioned by the second petition to withdraw
filed by defense counsel, approximately 559 days are not
attributable to the Commonwealth.
Trial Court Opinion, 9/21/16, at 7-8.
The trial court attributed 559 days to Sperl, whose trial began on
November 2, 2015, and thus, only 212 days attributable to the Commonwealth
had elapsed. Additionally, the trial court found no evidence that demonstrated
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a lack of due diligence by the Commonwealth in bringing the case to trial.
Kearse, supra. Accordingly, it found no Rule 600 violation occurred. In light
of the foregoing, we discern no abuse of discretion by the trial court in denying
Sperl’s motion to dismiss.
Sperl next claims the evidence of record was insufficient to prove Sperl
failed to remain at the scene of the collision, and thus, lacking as a matter of
law to sustain a conviction for accident involving death or personal injury.
The standard we apply in reviewing the sufficiency of the evidence
is whether viewing all the evidence admitted at trial in the light
most favorable to the verdict winner, there is sufficient evidence
to enable the fact–finder to find every element of the crime
beyond a reasonable doubt. In applying the above test, we may
not weigh the evidence and substitute our judgment for the fact–
finder. In addition, we note that the facts and circumstances
established by the Commonwealth need not preclude every
possibility of innocence. Any doubts regarding a defendant’s guilt
may be resolved by the fact–finder unless the evidence is so weak
and inconclusive that as a matter of law no probability of fact may
be drawn from the combined circumstances. The Commonwealth
may sustain its burden of proving every element of the crime
beyond a reasonable doubt by means of wholly circumstantial
evidence. Moreover, in applying the above test, the entire record
must be evaluated and all evidence actually received must be
considered. Finally, the finder of fact while passing upon the
credibility of witnesses and the weight of the evidence produced,
is free to believe all, part or none of the evidence.
Commonwealth v. Williams, 744 A.2d 745, 751 (Pa. Super. 2016).
Section 3742 of the Motor Vehicle Code provides, in part, as follows:
(a) General rule.--The driver of any vehicle involved in an
accident resulting in injury or death of any person shall
immediately stop the vehicle at the scene of the accident or as
close thereto as possible but shall then forthwith return to and in
every event shall remain at the scene of the accident until he has
fulfilled the requirements of section 3744 (relating to duty to give
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information and render aid).[6] Every stop shall be made without
obstructing traffic more than is necessary.
75 Pa.C.S.A. § 3742(a).
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6
75 Pa.C.S.A. § 3744 provides, in relevant part, as follows:
(a) General rule.--The driver of any vehicle involved in an
accident resulting in injury to or death of any person or damage
to any vehicle or other property which is driven or attended by
any person shall give his name, address and the registration
number of the vehicle he is driving, and shall upon request exhibit
his driver's license and information relating to financial
responsibility to any person injured in the accident or to the driver
or occupant of or person attending any vehicle or other property
damaged in the accident and shall give the information and upon
request exhibit the license and information relating to financial
responsibility to any police officer at the scene of the accident or
who is investigating the accident and shall render to any person
injured in the accident reasonable assistance, including the
making of arrangements for the carrying of the injured person to
a physician, surgeon or hospital for medical or surgical treatment
if it is apparent that treatment is necessary or if requested by the
injured person.
(b) Report of accident to police.--In the event that none of the
persons specified are in condition to receive the information to
which they otherwise would be entitled under subsection (a) and
no police officer is present, the driver of any vehicle involved in
the accident after fulfilling all other requirements of section 3742
(relating to accidents involving death or personal injury) and
subsection (a), in so far as possible on his part to be performed,
shall forthwith report the accident to the nearest office of a duly
authorized police department and submit to the police department
the information specified in subsection (a).
75 Pa.C.S.A. § 3744.
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Sperl crashed a vehicle into a telephone pole while traveling at
approximately 80 miles per hour; the collision fatally injured Petrille. Sperl
did not attempt to render Petrille aid, notify authorities or seek help from
nearby persons. In fact, Sperl fled the area and did not report the accident
until after police responded to the disturbance at 31 Sugar Hill Lane. The
evidence of record supports the jury’s finding that Sperl violated section
3751(a).
Lastly, Sperl avers the trial court abused its discretion by failing to
consider Sperl’s rehabilitative needs when it fashioned his sentence.
An appellant challenging the discretionary aspects of his sentence
must invoke this Court’s jurisdiction by satisfying a four-part test:
(1) whether appellant has filed a timely notice of
appeal, see Pa.R.A.P. 902 and 903; (2) whether the issue was
properly preserved at sentencing or in a motion to reconsider and
modify sentence, see Pa.R.Crim.P. 720; (3) whether appellant’s
brief has a fatal defect, Pa.R.A.P. 2119(f); and (4) whether there
is a substantial question that the sentence appealed from is not
appropriate under the Sentencing Code.
Commonwealth v. Swope, 123 A.3d 333, 337 (Pa. Super. 2015), quoting
Commonwealth v. Allen, 24 A.3d 1058, 1064 (Pa. Super. 2011).
Sperl filed a timely motion to reconsider and modify sentence on April
25, 2016, which the trial court denied; on June 6, 2016, Sperl timely appealed.
Sperl, in complying with Rule 2119(f), argues the trial court abused its
discretion in sentencing by failing to consider his rehabilitative needs and/or
the gravity of his offense. See Brief of Appellant, at 12-13. Thus, Sperl has
raised a substantial question for our review. See Commonwealth v.
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Hyland, 875 A.2d 1175, 1183 (Pa. Super. 2005) (indicating substantial
question raised when issue raises question of whether trial court sentenced in
aggravated range without considering mitigating circumstances). However,
we find this issue to be meritless.
The trial court sentenced Sperl to a standard-range sentence of 1-2
years’ imprisonment for homicide by vehicle and a consecutive aggravated-
range sentence of 2-4 years’ imprisonment for accident involving death or
personal injury. The standard-range sentence for accident involving death or
personal injury is 9-16 months’ imprisonment. Where the sentencing court
had the benefit of a presentence investigation (PSI) report, it is presumed that
it was aware of the information regarding the defendant’s character and
weighed those considerations with mitigating statutory factors. See
Commonwealth v. Boyer, 856 A.2d 149 (Pa. Super. 2004). A trial court
judge has wide discretion in sentencing and can, on the
appropriate record and for the appropriate reasons, consider any legal factor
in imposing a sentence in the aggravated range. See Commonwealth v.
Shugars, 895 A.2d 1270, 1275 (Pa. Super. 2006). The record clearly reflects
that the trial court, in fashioning Sperl’s sentence, considered Sperl’s
presentence investigation report, Boyer, supra, his personal background and
circumstances and the evidence of the circumstances of the offense. N.T.
Sentencing, 4/15/16, at 118-121. Thus, the trial court did not abuse its
discretion in fashioning Sperl’s sentence.
Judgment of sentence affirmed.
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Judgment Entered.
Joseph D. Seletyn, Esq.
Prothonotary
Date: 9/29/2017
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