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State’s high court reinstates drunken driving conviction

By: Associated Press//May 5, 2015//

State’s high court reinstates drunken driving conviction

By: Associated Press//May 5, 2015//

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MADISON, Wis. (AP) — The Wisconsin Supreme Court has overturned a lower court ruling and reinstated a fourth drunken driving conviction against a Madison-area man.

Dean Blatterman, of the Madison suburb Oregon, argued that his blood alcohol level test results should not be admitted because Dane County sheriff’s deputies transported him to a hospital 10 miles away from where he was pulled over.

A state appeals court determined that taking Blatterman so far away from the scene amounted to a “de facto” arrest and violated his Fourth Amendment rights against unreasonable search and seizure.

But the Supreme Court said Tuesday that officers had a reasonable suspicion to stop Blatterman based on statements his wife made about his condition. The court also ruled that taking him to the hospital was within their legal authority.

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