Opinion
J-S80015-16 No. 184 MDA 2016
12-05-2016
COMMONWEALTH OF PENNSYLVANIA Appellee v. COLEMAN KEARY SMITH. Appellant
NON-PRECEDENTIAL DECISION - SEE SUPERIOR COURT I.O.P. 65.37
Appeal from the Judgment of Sentence January 6, 2016
In the Court of Common Pleas of Franklin County
Criminal Division at No(s): CP-28-CR-0000664-2015 BEFORE: LAZARUS, J., STABILE, J., and RANSOM, J. JUDGMENT ORDER BY LAZARUS, J.:
Coleman Keary Smith appeals from the judgment of sentence, entered in the Court of Common Pleas of Franklin County, after being convicted of one count each of Driving Under the Influence (DUI) - high rate of alcohol and DUI - general impairment. Smith was sentenced to 30 days to 6 months' incarceration. After careful review, we affirm.
On appeal, Smith presents the following issue for our consideration:
Did the suppression court err[] in denying Appellant's motion to suppress evidence when the arresting officer filed to administer and correctly score the horizontal gaze nystagmus [HGN] standard field sobriety test, falsified his police report, provided
false testimony and cross examination and acknowledged he did not know how to administer the field sobriety test.Appellant's Brief, at 4.
An appellate court does not reverse the suppression court's denial of an accused's motion to suppress if the factual findings and legal conclusions drawn therefrom by the suppression court are supported by the record. Commonwealth v. Bracey , 662 A.2d 1062 (Pa. 1995).
In essence, Smith attacks the trial court's credibility determination with regard to the testimony of his arresting officer, Trooper Hanko. Commonwealth v. Elmobdy , 823 A.2d 180, 183 (Pa. Super. 2003) ("It is within the suppression court's sole province as factfinder to pass on the credibility of witnesses and the weight to be given to their testimony[; t]he suppression court is free to believe all, some or none of the evidence presented at the suppression hearing."). Smith asserts that because the trooper did not administer the HGN test according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Student Manual and that he "falsified the police report and [that] his testimony [was] intended to deceive," we should reverse the suppression court. Appellant's Brief, at 9. We disagree.
Based on a totality of the circumstances, there was sufficient evidence to support the trooper's stop of Smith's vehicle and his subsequent arrest for suspected DUI. Trooper Hanko testified that he stopped Smith's silver Ford truck after he observed it cross the double-yellow center lines of the road two times. N.T. Suppression Hearing, 12/7/15, at 11. Upon stopping Smith's vehicle, the trooper testified that Smith had difficulty locating his driver's license, slurred speech, bloodshot and glassy eyes, smelled of alcohol, and admitted to drinking multiple beers prior to driving. Id. at 12, 19-21. Moreover, Trooper Hanko was trained in the detection of impaired drivers, id. at 5-8, and, in his career, had stopped approximately 40 drivers suspected to be under the influence, some of which led to DUI arrests. Id. at 8-9.
After reviewing the parties' briefs, relevant law and certified record on appeal, we affirm Smith's judgment of sentence based on the April 5, 2016, opinion authored by the Honorable Carol L. Van Horn. See Commonwealth v. Seguida , 985 A.2d 871, 879 (Pa. 2009) (types of evidence Commonwealth may proffer in section 3802(a)(1) prosecution include, but are not limited to, "offender's actions and behavior, including manner of driving and ability to pass field sobriety tests; demeanor, including toward the investigating officer; physical appearance, particularly bloodshot eyes and other physical signs of intoxication; odor of alcohol, and slurred speech"); see also Commonwealth v. Mobley , 14 A.3d 887, 890 (Pa. Super. 2011) (sustaining conviction for DUI where defendant failed to stop at stop sign, smelled of alcohol, and failed four separate field sobriety tests).
Judgment of sentence affirmed. Judgment Entered. /s/_________
Joseph D. Seletyn, Esq.
Prothonotary Date: 12/5/2016
We instruct the parties to attach a copy of President Judge Van Horn's opinion in the event of further proceedings in the matter.
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