29-A §2522. Accidents - Maine Statutes

Title 29-A: MOTOR VEHICLES HEADING: PL 1993, C. 683, PT. A, §2 (NEW); PT. B, §5 (AFF)

Chapter 23: MAJOR OFFENSES - SUSPENSION AND REVOCATION HEADING: PL 1993, C. 683, PT. A, §2 (NEW); PT. B, §5 (AFF)

Subchapter 4: IMPLIED CONSENT HEADING: PL 1993, C. 683, PT. A, §2 (NEW); PT. B, §5 (AFF)

§2522. Accidents

1. Mandatory submission to test. If there is probable cause to believe that death has occurred or will occur as a result of an accident, an operator of a motor vehicle involved in the motor vehicle accident shall submit to a chemical test, as defined in section 2401, subsection 3, to determine an alcohol level or drug concentration in the same manner as for OUI.

[ 2009, c. 447, §67 (AMD) .]

2. Administration of test. The investigating law enforcement officer shall cause a blood test to be administered to the operator of the motor vehicle as soon as practicable following the accident and may also cause a breath test or another chemical test to be administered if the officer determines appropriate. The operator shall submit to and complete all tests administered. Except as otherwise provided in this section, testing must be conducted in accordance with section 2521.

[ 2003, c. 565, §1 (AMD) .]

3. Admissibility of test results. The result of a test is admissible at trial if the court, after reviewing all the evidence, whether gathered prior to, during or after the test, is satisfied that probable cause exists, independent of the test result, to believe that the operator was under the influence of intoxicants at the time of the accident.

[ 1993, c. 683, Pt. A, §2 (NEW); 1993, c. 683, Pt. B, §5 (AFF) .]

4. Suspension. The Secretary of State shall suspend for a period of one year the license of a person who fails to submit to a test under this section.

[ 1993, c. 683, Pt. A, §2 (NEW); 1993, c. 683, Pt. B, §5 (AFF) .]

5. Scope of hearing. The scope of any hearing the Secretary of State holds pursuant to section 2483 must include whether there was probable cause to believe that the person was the operator of a motor vehicle involved in a motor vehicle accident in which a death occurred or will occur and whether the person failed to submit to and complete the test. If a person shows, after hearing, that the person was not under the influence of intoxicants or that the person did not negligently cause the accident, then the suspension must be immediately removed.

[ 1993, c. 683, Pt. A, §2 (NEW); 1993, c. 683, Pt. B, §5 (AFF) .]

SECTION HISTORY

1993, c. 683, §A2 (NEW). 1993, c. 683, §B5 (AFF). 2003, c. 565, §1 (AMD). 2009, c. 447, §67 (AMD).