Paul Bourne Ross v. Commonwealth ( 1995 )

COURT OF APPEALS OF VIRGINIA
Present: Judges Willis, Fitzpatrick and Senior Judge Hodges
Argued at Alexandria, Virginia
PAUL BOURNE ROSS
v. Record No. 1839-94-4 MEMORANDUM OPINION * BY
JUDGE JERE M. H. WILLIS, JR.
COMMONWEALTH OF VIRGINIA OCTOBER 3, 1995
FROM THE CIRCUIT COURT OF FAIRFAX COUNTY
Jane Marum Roush, Judge
Jerry M. Phillips, (Phillips, Beckwith &
Hall, on brief), for appellant.
Linwood T. Wells, Jr., Assistant Attorney
General (James S. Gilmore, III, Attorney
General, on brief), for appellee.
On appeal from his conviction of driving while under the
influence of alcohol in violation of Code § 18.2-266, Paul Bourne
Ross contends the evidence is insufficient. He argues that his
guilt cannot be based solely on his performance of field sobriety
tests. We find no error and affirm the judgment of the trial
court.
At 1:20 a.m. on March 24, 1994, Virginia State Trooper
Charles King, III was working stationary radar on Route 267, the
Dulles Access Road, when he clocked Ross's vehicle coming
"through at 64 miles per hour" in a 55 miles per hour zone.
Trooper King noticed the vehicle had no rear taillights. He
followed the vehicle approximately one and one-half miles and
*
Pursuant to Code § 17-116.010 this opinion is not
designated for publication.
"got a pace at 68 miles per hour." He then signaled to the
vehicle to pull over. Ross was driving.
When Trooper King approached the vehicle to ask for the
driver's license and registration, he smelled "the odor of
alcohol, a strong odor." Ross stated that he had "3 or 4 drinks
at 8:00 p.m., he ate two pieces of pizza, and he drunk some
coffee, and had not had any alcohol since."
Trooper King asked Ross to perform some field sobriety
tests. The first test was the "nine steps heel to toe." While
performing that test, Ross "missed . . . eight steps up and six
steps back . . . He walked off the line two times up and three
times back, swaying some as he was walking." While performing
the second test of a thirty-second leg lift, Ross could lift his
leg only two inches off the ground rather than the required six
inches and he could hold it up only for twenty-four seconds. The
third test required him to recite the alphabet from A to Z
without pausing. He was unable to do this. Next, he was
required to count backwards from 50 to 40. "He paused at 40 and
41 for a few seconds, and then he went down past 40 down to 28
. . . ." Trooper King then arrested Ross for driving while under
the influence of intoxicants in violation of Code § 18.2-266.
At trial, Trooper King testified to Ross's performance on
the field sobriety tests and his speeding on Route 267, and to
his smelling alcohol on Ross's person. Ross moved to strike the
evidence at the close of the Commonwealth's evidence. The trial
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court denied the motion. Ross then produced two witnesses who
testified that when they last saw him at Clyde's Restaurant, he
looked and acted normal. The first witness, a friend of Ross's,
testified that they had a pizza together and he saw Ross drink
only two beers. The second witness was a bartender who served
Ross two double espressos. Ross then moved again to strike the
evidence because the Commonwealth had presented no evidence that
he was under the influence of alcohol while driving his vehicle.
The trial court denied the motion and found Ross guilty.
"In order to convict the defendant [of driving under the
influence] it was necessary that the Commonwealth establish two
things: (1) that the defendant was operating or driving a motor
vehicle, and (2) that he was under the influence of intoxicants
at the time he was driving or operating it." Potts v.
Commonwealth, 12 Va. App. 1093, 1096, 408 S.E.2d 256, 257 (1991)
(quoting Nicholls v. Commonwealth, 212 Va. 257, 258, 184 S.E.2d
9, 10 (1971)). The Commonwealth proved that Ross was driving a
motor vehicle because he was stopped on the highway while
driving. Whether a person is under the influence of intoxicants
may be proved through chemical analysis. However, the general
standard for determining whether someone is "under the influence"
is stated in Gardner v. Commonwealth, 195 Va. 945, 81 S.E.2d 614(1954).
Any person who has drunk enough alcoholic
beverages to so affect his manner,
disposition, speech, muscular movement,
general appearance or behavior, as to be
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apparent to observation, shall be deemed to
be intoxicated.
195 Va. at 954, 81 S.E.2d at 619. See Va. Code § 4.1-100.
"The court . . . trying the case involving a violation of clause
(ii), (iii) or (iv) of § 18.2-266 . . . shall determine the
innocence or guilt of the defendant from all the evidence
concerning his condition at the time of the alleged offense."
Code § 18.2-268.10.
"On appeal, we review the evidence in the light most
favorable to the Commonwealth, granting to it all reasonable
inferences fairly deducible therefrom. The judgment of a trial
court sitting without a jury is entitled to the same weight as a
jury verdict and will not be set aside unless it appears from the
evidence that the judgment is plainly wrong or without evidence
to support it." Martin v. Commonwealth, 4 Va. App. 438, 443, 358
S.E.2d 415, 418 (1987). The evidence, thus reviewed, supports
Ross's conviction. Ross's consumption of alcohol prior to
driving, his inability to perform the field sobriety tests
properly, his excessive speeding, and Tooper King's testimony
that he smelled a strong odor of alcohol emanating from Ross's
person sufficiently established Ross's guilt beyond a reasonable
doubt.
We affirm the judgment of the trial court.
Affirmed.
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