State v. Gray, 600 S.E.2d 626 (Ga. Ct. App. 2004). · Go Syfert
State v. Gray, 600 S.E.2d 626 (Ga. Ct. App. 2004). Cases Citing This Book View Copy Cite
74 citation events (74 in the last 25 years) across 2 distinct courts.
Strongest positive: Roger Canelas v. State (gactapp, 2018-04-05)
Treatment trajectory · 2004 → 2026 · click a year to view as-of
2004 2015 2026
Top citers, strongest first. 22 distinct citers.
discussed Cited as authority (rule) Roger Canelas v. State
Ga. Ct. App. · 2018 · confidence medium
He cites to cases in which we have affirmed an order granting a motion to suppress where the evidence showed consumption of alcohol but did not show the effect of that consumption on the defendant, that is, that he was under the influence of alcohol to a degree which rendered him incapable of driving safely.7 7 State v. Encinas, 302 Ga. App. 334, 336-337 ( 691 SE2d 257 ) (2010) (An officer did not have probable cause to arrest a driver for DUI, even though the driver exuded the odor of alcohol, had bloodshot eyes, and refused to take a state-administered chemical test, where the driver showed …
discussed Cited as authority (rule) Hughes v. State (2×) also: Cited "see"
Ga. · 2015 · confidence medium
To the extent that State v. Gray, 267 Ga. App. 753, 756 (2) ( 600 SE2d 626 ) (2004), State v. Goode, 298 Ga. App. 749, 750 ( 681 SE2d 199 ) (2009), and State v. Encinas, 18 302 Ga. App. 334, 336 ( 691 SE2d 257 ) (2010), conflict with our analysis, we disapprove those decisions.10 Judgment affirmed.
discussed Cited as authority (rule) Hughes v. State (2×) also: Cited "see"
Ga. · 2015 · confidence medium
To the extent that State v. Gray, 267 Ga. App. 753, 756 (2) ( 600 SE2d 626 ) (2004), State v. Goode, 298 Ga. App. 749, 750 ( 681 SE2d 199 ) (2009), and State v. Encinas, 302 Ga. App. 334, 336 ( 691 SE2d 257 ) (2010), conflict with our analysis, we disapprove those decisions. 10 *753 Decided March 16, 2015.
examined Cited as authority (rule) State v. Jack Hughes (4×) also: Cited "see", Cited "see, e.g."
Ga. Ct. App. · 2013 · confidence medium
Id. at 756 (2).
examined Cited as authority (rule) State v. Hughes (7×) also: Cited "see", Cited "see, e.g."
Ga. Ct. App. · 2013 · confidence medium
Id. at 754-755 (1).
examined Cited as authority (rule) Mayberry v. State (3×)
Ga. Ct. App. · 2011 · confidence medium
In Gray, 267 Ga. App. at 754-755 (1), the trial court found that the arresting officer lacked credibility and that the defendant’s confused actions were the result of an automobile accident, rather than impairment caused by intoxication.
cited Cited as authority (rule) State v. Encinas
Ga. Ct. App. · 2010 · confidence medium
(Citations and punctuation omitted.) State v. Gray, 267 Ga. App. 753, 755 ( 600 SE2d 626 ) (2004).
discussed Cited as authority (rule) State v. Carder (2×)
Ga. Ct. App. · 2009 · confidence medium
See Rish, supra, 295 Ga. App. at 816-817 (“Because individual responses to alcohol vary, the presence of alcohol in a defendant’s body, by itself, does not support an inference that the defendant was an impaired driver”); State v. Gray, 267 Ga. App. 753, 755 (2) ( 600 SE2d 626 ) (2004) (in order to have probable cause for a DUI arrest, an officer must “have knowledge or reasonably trustworthy information that a suspect was actually in physical control of a moving vehicle, while under the influence of alcohol to a degree which renders him incapable of driving safely”) (citation and pu…
discussed Cited as authority (rule) State v. Yapo
Ga. Ct. App. · 2009 · confidence medium
Adams and Doyle, JJ., concur. 1 OCGA § 16-5-23.1 (f). 2 OCGA § 16-5-23 (a). 3 OCGA § 16-11-39 (a) (1). 4 State v. Swint, 284 Ga. App. 343 (1) ( 643 SE2d 840 ) (2007). 5 State v. Barrett, 215 Ga. App. 401, 402, n. 1 ( 451 SE2d 82 ) (1994). 6 State v. Mills, 268 Ga. 873 ( 495 SE2d 1 ) (1998). 7 State v. Glover, 281 Ga. 633 ( 641 SE2d 543 ) (2007). 8 Boggs v. State, 261 Ga. App. 104, 106 ( 581 SE2d 722 ) (2003). 9 Fair v. State, 284 Ga. 165, 166 (1) ( 664 SE2d 227 ) (2008). 10 Bunn v. State, 284 Ga. 410, 413 (3) ( 667 SE2d 605 ) (2008). 11 Tate v. State, 264 Ga. 53, 54 (1) ( 440 SE2d 646 ) (19…
examined Cited as authority (rule) State v. Rish (3×)
Ga. Ct. App. · 2009 · confidence medium
State v. Gray, 267 Ga. App. 753, 754 (1) ( 600 SE2d 626 ) (2004). “[W]e review de novo, [however,] the trial court’s application of the law to undisputed facts. [Cit.]” State v. Hammang, 249 Ga. App. 811 ( 549 SE2d 440 ) (2001).
cited Cited as authority (rule) Handley v. State
Ga. Ct. App. · 2008 · confidence medium
See Ojemuyiwa v. State, 285 Ga. App. 617, 620 (2) ( 647 SE2d 598 ) (2007); State v. Gray, 267 Ga. App. 753, 755 (2) ( 600 SE2d 626 ) (2004).
discussed Cited as authority (rule) Schlanger v. State (2×)
Ga. Ct. App. · 2008 · confidence medium
Id. at 756 (2).
discussed Cited as authority (rule) Kellogg v. State
Ga. Ct. App. · 2007 · confidence medium
Ruffin and Bernes, JJ., concur. 1 OCGA§ 40-6-391 (k)(l). 2 OCGA § 3-3-23 (a) (2). 3 Bennett v. State, 283 Ga. App. 581, 581-582 ( 642 SE2d 212 ) (2007). 4 OCGA§ 40-5-67.1 (b)(1). 5 Yingst v. State, 287 Ga. App. 43, 44 ( 650 SE2d 746 ) (2007). 6 State v. Ayers, 257 Ga. App. 117, 119 ( 570 SE2d 603 ) (2002). 7 Wright v. State, 283 Ga. App. 393 ( 641 SE2d 605 ) (2007). 8 Baker v. State, 252 Ga. App. 695, 702 (1) ( 556 SE2d 892 ) (2001). 9 Giacini v. State, 281 Ga. App. 426, 428 (1) ( 636 SE2d 145 ) (2006). 10 Cater v. State, 280 Ga. App. 891, 892 (1) ( 635 SE2d 246 ) (2006). 11 Overton v. Stat…
discussed Cited as authority (rule) Ojemuyiwa v. State
Ga. Ct. App. · 2007 · confidence medium
Johnson, P. J., and Phipps, J., concur. 1 Shabazz v. State, 229 Ga. App. 465 (1) ( 494 SE2d 257 ) (1997). 2 443 U. S. 307 (99 SC 2781, 61 LE2d 560) (1979). 3 (Citation and punctuation omitted.) Barber v. State, 235 Ga. App. 170 ( 509 SE2d 93 ) (1998). 4 Green v. State, 240 Ga. App. 774, 776 (1) ( 525 SE2d 154 ) (1999). 5 See McPetrie v. State, 263 Ga. App. 85, 88 (2) ( 587 SE2d 233 ) (2003). 6 (Punctuation and footnotes omitted.) State v. Sanders, 274 Ga. App. 393, 396 ( 617 SE2d 633 ) (2005). 7 Slayton v. State, 281 Ga. App. 650, 652 (1) ( 637 SE2d 67 ) (2006), citing as examples, State v. Gr…
cited Cited as authority (rule) Slayton v. State
Ga. Ct. App. · 2006 · confidence medium
E.g., State v. Gray, 267 Ga. App. 753, 755 (2) ( 600 SE2d 626 ) (2004); State v. Batty, 259 Ga. App. 431, 432 ( 577 SE2d 98 ) (2003).
discussed Cited as authority (rule) Alewine v. State
Ga. Ct. App. · 2005 · confidence medium
In State v. Gray, 267 Ga. App. 753, 756 (2) ( 600 SE2d 626 ) (2004), we refused to overturn the trial court’s finding that the evidence presented by the State indicated that the defendant’s impairment was caused, not by alcohol intoxication, but by the car accident that had occurred and the resulting explosion of an air bag in the defendant’s face.
discussed Cited as authority (rule) Jones v. State
Ga. Ct. App. · 2005 · confidence medium
P. M., 213 Ga. App. 761, 763 ( 446 SE2d 242 ) (1994). 8 Kelly v. State, 242 Ga. App. 30, 31 (1) ( 528 SE2d 812 ) (2000). 9 Shoemake v. State, 266 Ga. App. 342, 345 (3) (b) ( 596 SE2d 805 ) (2004). 10 Belyeu v. State, 262 Ga. App. 682, 683 (1) ( 586 SE2d 396 ) (2003). 11 Long v. State, 271 Ga. App. 565, 566 (1) ( 610 SE2d 74 ) (2004). 12 Johnson v. State, 249 Ga. App. 29, 31-32 (2) ( 546 SE2d 922 ) (2001). 13 Shaheed v. State, 270 Ga. App. 709, 710 (1) ( 607 SE2d 897 ) (2004). 14 Price v. State, 269 Ga. 222, 226 (6) ( 498 SE2d 262 ) (1998). 15 Lewis v. State, 214 Ga. App. 830, 832 (1) ( 449 SE2…
discussed Cited "see" State v. Jennings (2×)
Ga. Ct. App. · 2012 · signal: see · confidence high
See State v. Gray, 267 Ga. App. 753, 756 (2) ( 600 SE2d 626 ) (2004).
discussed Cited "see" State v. Roy Jennings (2×)
Ga. Ct. App. · 2012 · signal: see · confidence high
See State v. Gray, 267 Ga. App. 753, 756 (2) ( 600 SE2d 626 ) (2004).
discussed Cited "see" State v. Bass (2×)
Ga. Ct. App. · 2005 · signal: see · confidence high
See State v. Gray, 267 Ga. App. 753, 755 (2) ( 600 SE2d 626 ) (2004) (presence of alcohol in driver’s body, by itself, does not support inference that driver was impaired); State v. Batty, 259 Ga. App. 431, 432 ( 577 SE2d 98 ) (2003) (no probable cause where only evidence was odor of alcohol on driver’s breath, and driver’s errant right turn and alleged following too close).
discussed Cited "see, e.g." State v. Ellison (2×)
Ga. Ct. App. · 2005 · signal: see also · confidence low
Compare Cunningham, supra at 284 (1) (“less safe”). 3 (Citation and punctuation omitted.) Firsanov v. State, 270 Ga. 873, 875 (3) ( 513 SE2d 184 ) (1999). 4 Silva v. State, 278 Ga. 506 ( 604 SE2d 171 ) (2004); see also Vansant v. State, 264 Ga. 319, 320 (1) ( 443 SE2d 474 ) (1994) (“where the evidence is uncontroverted and no question regarding the credibility of witnesses is presented, the trial court’s application of the law to undisputed facts is subject to de novo appellate review”) (citation omitted). 5 (Citation omitted.) Vansant, supra at 320 . 6 See State v. Gray, 267 Ga. App…
examined Cited "see, e.g." State v. Hester (4×)
Ga. Ct. App. · 2004 · signal: see also · confidence low
See also State v. Gray, 267 Ga.App. 753 , 600 S.E.2d 626 (2004). [10] Supra at 59, 440 S.E.2d 646 (Carley, J., dissenting), quoting Nesbit v. Nesbit, 241 Ga. 351, 352 (2), 245 S.E.2d 303 (1978).
The State
v.
Gray
A04A1099.
Court of Appeals of Georgia.
Jun 10, 2004.
600 S.E.2d 626
Gerald N. Blaney, Jr., Solicitor-General, Gary S. Vey, Jennifer L. White, Jason R. Samuels, Assistant Solictors-General, for appellant., Steven M. Ward, George A. Stein, T. Kevin Mooney, for appellee.
Blackburn, Barnes, Mikell.
Cited by 25 opinions  |  Published
Blackburn, Presiding Judge.

Charged with DUI, Jessica Lynn Gray moved to suppress the results of her breath test obtained while in custody, arguing that police had arrested her without probable cause. The trial court agreed and suppressed the results. The State appeals this ruling, contending that the trial court ignored various indicia of intoxication impairment. We hold that evidence supported the trial court’s ruling and therefore affirm.

1. The standard of review is particularly critical in deciding this case. Contending the facts are undisputed, the State would have us apply the de novo standard of review referenced in Vansant v. State. 1 Vansant, however, stated that this standard was only to be applied “where the evidence is uncontroverted and no question regarding the credibility of witnesses is presented.” Id. Where the evidence is in dispute or the credibility of a witness is challenged, the “any evidence” standard set forth in Tate v. State [2] applies, which provides:

[*754] [W]hen a motion to suppress is heard by the trial judge, that judge sits as the trier of facts. The trial judge hears the evidence, and his findings based upon conflicting evidence are analogous to the verdict of a jury and should not be disturbed by a reviewing court if there is any evidence to support [them]. Second, the trial court’s decision with regard to questions of fact and credibility must be accepted unless clearly erroneous. Third, the reviewing court must construe the evidence most favorably to the upholding of the trial court’s findings and judgment.

(Citations, punctuation and emphasis omitted.) Id. at 54 (1).

Here the evidence was conflicting as to the cause of certain alleged indicia of alcohol impairment, and the trial court found in favor of the accused on each conflict. Accordingly, we apply the Tate standard: we construe the evidence in favor of the judgment of the trial court and review the record to determine whether any evidence supports the trial court’s findings.

So construed, the evidence shows that an officer happened upon a single-car freeway accident, in which Gray was the driver. Gray explained to the officer that another car had forced her off the road, causing her to hit a guardrail and careen to the other side of the freeway and hit the concrete median. Gray had cuts on her face from the impact of the accident. The officer observed that Gray was calm and collected, but that she had bloodshot eyes, appeared dazed, and was unsteady on her feet, all of which could have been caused by the impact of the accident and the explosion of the air bags in her face.

Because Gray smelled of alcoholic beverages and admitted to having had a couple of drinks, the officer decided to conduct field sobriety tests on her. He did not perform the one-leg stand or the walk and turn tests (because he feared the accident would skew the results), but he did perform the HGN test and determined that she exhibited two of the six clues of intoxication, which indicated some presence of alcohol. The results on the other four clues either indicated no intoxication or were inconclusive. He performed an alcosensor test, which tested positive for alcohol. He concluded that she was under the influence of alcohol to the extent that she was a less safe driver, and he therefore arrested her and later performed a breath test on her while she was in custody.

Gray moved to suppress the results of the in-custody breath test. During the hearing, evidence showed that Gray’s unsteadiness, bloodshot eyes, and dazed appearance may have been caused by the accident and air bags, and that the officer did not necessarily follow all the required procedures in performing the HGN test, the results of which were questionable anyway because of the possible head[*755] trauma suffered by Gray. The court found as fact that the only credible evidence of Gray’s intoxication was the odor of alcohol, her admitting to drinking, and the alco-sensor results showing the presence of alcohol. Because none of these factors addressed whether Gray’s intoxication impaired her so that she was rendered a less safe driver, the court concluded that no probable cause supported the arrest and granted the motion.

2. The probable cause needed to conduct a DUI arrest requires that the officer “have knowledge or reasonably trustworthy information that a suspect was actually in physical control of a moving vehicle, while under the influence of alcohol to a degree which renders him incapable of driving safely.” (Emphasis supplied.) Malone v. State. 3 If the evidence shows only that the driver is intoxicated but does not show that such has impaired him, the evidence is insufficient to show probable cause for DUI. State v. Batty; 4 State v. Burke. 5 “[Ijmpaired driving ability depends solely upon an individual’s response to alcohol. Because individual responses to alcohol vary, the presence of alcohol in a defendant’s body, by itself, does not support an inference that the defendant was an impaired driver.” (Punctuation and footnote omitted.) Baird v. State. 6

The five cases cited by the State where evidence supported a probable cause finding all contained an additional factor showing impairment. See Boyd v. State 7 (erratic driving, bloodshot eyes, slurred speech); Temples v. State 8 (bloodshot, watery eyes); Singleterry v. State 9 (erratic driving, glassy, watery eyes, and slowness in exiting car); State v. Smith 10 (unsteady on feet); Herkert v. State 11 (bloodshot eyes and erratic driving). Duvall v. State, 12 also cited by the State, does not concern a probable cause analysis.

We decline the State’s invitation to overrule State v. Holler, 13 which held that a trial court did not abuse its discretion in refusing at a suppression hearing to admit the numerical results of an alco-sensor test for purposes of establishing probable cause. Not only do we discern no error in that opinion, but here the State never even[*756] attempted to admit the numerical results of that test during the suppression hearing.

Finding that all alleged indicia of impairment were caused by the accident or lacked credibility, and that Gray had adequately explained the accident to the officer (see Burke, supra at 394 (accused had explanation for wreck)), the trial court concluded that the only evidence of DUI was the presence of alcohol in Gray’s body. Accordingly, the court did not err in finding that the arrest lacked probable cause and in suppressing the results of the chemical test conducted while Gray was in custody. See Batty, supra at 432.

Judgment affirmed.

Barnes and Mikell, JJ., concur.

On Motion for Reconsideration.

The State has moved for reconsideration on two grounds. First, the State argues that the following sentence in the opinion is an incorrect statement of law: “If the evidence shows only that the driver is intoxicated but does not show that such has impaired him, the evidence is insufficient to show probable cause for DUI.” The State argues that the word “intoxicated” means that the driver was drunk and therefore necessarily means that the driver was impaired. The State would have us change the sentence to read: “If the evidence shows only that the driver consumed some alcohol but does not show that such has impaired him, the evidence is insufficient to show probable cause for DUI.”

The State’s argument has a false premise: namely, that “intoxicated” means “drunk.” “Intoxicated” means “under the influence of an intoxicating liquor or drug.” [14] Thus, a person who has consumed some alcohol may be under the influence of alcohol, but the law only criminalizes such if one drives and is so intoxicated or under the influence that one is less safe to drive. [15] Thus, in Hogan u. State, 16 we stated that one is not guilty of DUI “unless he is intoxicated to a degree which renders him incapable of driving safely.” (Punctuation omitted; emphasis supplied.) “Intoxicated to a degree” shows that we have used the word “intoxicated” to refer to having consumed some alcohol, and the question is to what degree one is intoxicated. “Intoxicated” alone does not mean that one is drunk or illegally impaired. This argument is without merit.

The second argument is that we should not have affirmed the factual findings of the trial court (made after an evidentiary hearing)[*757] that the accident and air bags caused the bloodshot eyes and unsteadiness. Since we are bound to follow the “any evidence” standard, we fail to see any merit in this argument either.

Decided May 17, 2004 Reconsideeation denied June 10, 2004 Gerald N. Blaney, Jr., Solicitor-General, Gary S. Vey, Jennifer L. White, Jason R. Samuels, Assistant Solictors-General, for appellant. Steven M. Ward, George A. Stein, T. Kevin Mooney, for appellee.

Motion for reconsideration is hereby denied.

1

Vansant v. State, 264 Ga. 319, 320 (1) (443 SE2d 474) (1994).

2

Tate v. State, 264 Ga. 53 (440 SE2d 646) (1994).

3

Malone v. State, 261 Ga. App. 420, 421 (582 SE2d 561) (2003).

4

State v. Batty, 259 Ga. App. 431, 432 (577 SE2d 98) (2003).

5

State v. Burke, 230 Ga. App. 392, 393-394 (496 SE2d 755) (1998).

6

Baird v. State, 260 Ga. App. 661, 663 (1) (580 SE2d 650) (2003).

7

Boyd v. State, 259 Ga. App. 864, 865-866 (1) (578 SE2d 472) (2003).

8

Temples v. State, 228 Ga. App. 228, 231 (491 SE2d 444) (1997).

9

Singleterry v. State, 227 Ga. App. 155 (1) (489 SE2d 42) (1997).

10

State v. Smith, 196 Ga. App. 876, 877 (397 SE2d 304) (1990).

11

Herkert v. State, 177 Ga. App. 610 (1) (340 SE2d 251) (1986).

12

Duvall v. State, 250 Ga. App. 87, 88-89 (2) (550 SE2d 479) (2001).

13

State v. Holler, 224 Ga. App. 66, 68-69 (1) (479 SE2d 780) (1996).

14

Webster’s New Intl. Dictionary (Unabridged) (2nd ed. 1959), p. 1302.

16

Hogan v. State, 178 Ga. App. 534, 536 (343 SE2d 770) (1986) (whole court).