State v. Wetherell

The instant cases, both arising from Franklin County, Washington, have been consolidated on appeal. The question in both is the propriety of the trial court’s order suppressing the results of defendants’ blood and breath alcohol tests prior to trial of negligent homicide charges levied against them.

Although the charges arose from separate and unrelated, single-car accidents, the facts relevant to the issues involved are somewhat similar. Each accident involved an automobile driven by a defendant and fatal injuries to a passenger therein. Both defendants were removed to local hospitals from…