2020 Colorado Revised Statutes
Title 18 - Criminal Code
Article 3.5. Offenses Against Pregnant Women
Section 18-3.5-108. Aggravated vehicular unlawful termination of pregnancy - definitions.

(1) (a) If a person operates or drives a motor vehicle while under the influence of alcohol or one or more drugs, or a combination of both alcohol and one or more drugs, and this conduct is the proximate cause of the unlawful termination of the pregnancy of a woman, such person commits aggravated vehicular unlawful termination of pregnancy. This is a strict liability crime.

(b) As used in this subsection (1):

1. "Driving under the influence" means driving a vehicle when a person has consumedalcohol or one or more drugs, or a combination of alcohol and one or more drugs, which alcohol alone, or one or more drugs alone, or alcohol combined with one or more drugs affect such person to a degree that such person is substantially incapable, either mentally or physically, or both mentally and physically, of exercising clear judgment, sufficient physical control, or due care in the safe operation of a vehicle.

2. "One or more drugs" means all substances defined as a drug in section 12-280-103 (16), and all controlled substances defined in section 18-18-102 (5), and glue-sniffing, aerosol inhalation, or the inhalation of any other toxic vapor or vapors as defined in section 18-18-412.

(c) The fact that a person charged with a violation of this subsection (1) is or has been entitled to use one or more drugs under the laws of this state shall not constitute a defense against any charge of violating this subsection (1).

2. Aggravated vehicular unlawful termination of pregnancy, in violation of paragraph(a) of subsection (1) of this section, is a class 4 felony.

3. In any prosecution for a violation of subsection (1) of this section, the amount ofalcohol in the defendant's blood or breath at the time of the commission of the alleged offense or within a reasonable time thereafter, as shown by analysis of the defendant's blood or breath, shall give rise to the following presumptions:

1. If there was at such time 0.05 or less grams of alcohol per one hundred milliliters ofblood, or if there was at such time 0.05 or less grams of alcohol per two hundred ten liters of breath, it shall be presumed that the defendant was not under the influence of alcohol.

2. If there was at such time in excess of 0.05 grams but less than 0.08 grams of alcoholper one hundred milliliters of blood, or if there was at such time in excess of 0.05 grams but less than 0.08 grams of alcohol per two hundred ten liters of breath, such fact may be considered with other competent evidence in determining whether or not the defendant was under the influence of alcohol.

3. If there was at such time 0.08 or more grams of alcohol per one hundred milliliters ofblood, or if there was at such time 0.08 or more grams of alcohol per two hundred ten liters of breath, it shall be presumed that the defendant was under the influence of alcohol.

4. The limitations of subsection (3) of this section shall not be construed as limiting theintroduction, reception, or consideration of any other competent evidence bearing upon the question of whether or not the defendant was under the influence of alcohol.

5. (a) If a law enforcement officer has probable cause to believe that a person was driving a motor vehicle in violation of paragraph (a) of subsection (1) of this section, the person, upon the request of the law enforcement officer, shall take and complete, and cooperate in completing, any test or tests of the person's blood, breath, saliva, or urine for the purpose of determining the alcohol or drug content within his or her system. The type of test or tests shall be determined by the law enforcement officer requiring the test or tests. If the person refuses to take, complete, or cooperate in completing any test or tests, the test or tests may be performed at the direction of a law enforcement officer having probable cause, without the person's authorization or consent. If a person refuses to take, complete, or cooperate in taking or completing any test or tests required by this paragraph (a), the person shall be subject to license revocation pursuant to the provisions of section 42-2-126 (3), C.R.S. When the test or tests show that the amount of alcohol in a person's blood was in violation of the limits provided for in section 42-2-126 (3)(a), (3)(b), (3)(d), or (3)(e), C.R.S., the person shall be subject to license revocation pursuant to the provisions of section 42-2-126, C.R.S.

2. Any person who is required to submit to testing shall cooperate with the personauthorized to obtain specimens of his or her blood, breath, saliva, or urine, including the signing of any release or consent forms required by any person, hospital, clinic, or association authorized to obtain such specimens. If such person does not cooperate with the person, hospital, clinic, or association authorized to obtain such specimens, including the signing of any release or consent forms, such noncooperation shall be considered a refusal to submit to testing.

3. The tests shall be administered at the direction of a law enforcement officer havingprobable cause to believe that the person committed a violation of paragraph (a) of subsection (1) of this section and in accordance with rules and regulations prescribed by the state board of health concerning the health of the person being tested and the accuracy of the testing. Strict compliance with the rules and regulations shall not be a prerequisite to the admissibility of test results at trial unless the court finds that the extent of noncompliance with a board of health rule has so impaired the validity and reliability of the testing method and the test results as to render the evidence inadmissible. In all other circumstances, failure to strictly comply with such rules and regulations shall only be considered in the weight to be given to the test results and not to the admissibility of the test results. It shall not be a prerequisite to the admissibility of test results at trial that the prosecution present testimony concerning the composition of any kit used to obtain blood, urine, saliva, or breath specimens. A sufficient evidentiary foundation concerning the compliance of such kits with the rules and regulations of the department of public health and environment shall be established by the introduction of a copy of the manufacturer's or supplier's certificate of compliance with the rules and regulations if the certificate specifies the contents, sterility, chemical makeup, and amounts of chemicals contained in such kit.

4. No person except a physician, a registered nurse, an emergency medical service provider certified or licensed under section 25-3.5-203 who is authorized within his or her scope of practice to draw blood, or a person whose normal duties include withdrawing blood samples under the supervision of a physician or registered nurse may withdraw blood for the purpose of determining the alcohol or drug content in the blood. In any trial for a violation of subsection (1)(a) of this section, testimony of a law enforcement officer that the officer witnessed the taking of a blood specimen by a person who the officer reasonably believed was authorized to withdraw blood specimens is sufficient evidence that the person was so authorized, and testimony from the person who obtained the blood specimens concerning the person's authorization to obtain blood specimens is not a prerequisite to the admissibility of test results concerning the blood specimens obtained. Civil liability does not attach to any person authorized to obtain blood, breath, saliva, or urine specimens or to any hospital, clinic, or association in or for which the specimens are obtained pursuant to this subsection (5) as a result of the act of obtaining the specimens from any person if the specimens were obtained according to the rules prescribed by the state board of health; except that this subsection (5) does not relieve any such person from liability for negligence in obtaining any specimen sample.

5. Any person who is dead or unconscious shall be tested to determine the alcohol ordrug content of his or her blood or any drug content of his or her system as provided in this subsection (5). If a test cannot be administered to a person who is unconscious, hospitalized, or undergoing medical treatment because the test would endanger the person's life or health, the law enforcement agency shall be allowed to test any blood, urine, or saliva that was obtained and not utilized by a health care provider and shall have access to that portion of the analysis and results of any tests administered by the provider that show the alcohol or drug content of the person's blood or any drug content within his or her system. Such test results shall not be considered privileged communications, and the provisions of section 13-90-107, C.R.S., relating to the physician-patient privilege shall not apply. Any person who is dead, in addition to the tests prescribed, shall also have his or her blood checked for carbon monoxide content and for the presence of drugs, as prescribed by the department of public health and environment. Any information obtained shall be made a part of the law enforcement officer's accident report.

6. If a person refuses to take, complete, or cooperate in completing any test or tests asprovided in this subsection (5) and the person subsequently stands trial for a violation of subsection (1)(a) of this section, the refusal to take, complete, or cooperate with completing any test or tests shall be admissible into evidence at the trial, and the person may not claim the privilege against self-incrimination with regard to the admission of his or her refusal to take, complete, or cooperate with completing any test or tests.

7. Notwithstanding any provision of section 42-4-1301.1, C.R.S., concerning requirements that relate to the manner in which tests are administered, the test or tests taken pursuant to the provisions of this section may be used for the purposes of driver's license revocation proceedings under section 42-2-126, C.R.S., and for the purposes of prosecutions for violations of section 42-4-1301 (1) or (2), C.R.S.

(6) In all actions, suits, and judicial proceedings in any court of this state concerning alcohol-related or drug-related traffic offenses, the court shall take judicial notice of methods of testing a person's alcohol or drug level and of the design and operation of devices, as certified by the department of public health and environment, for testing a person's blood, breath, saliva, or urine to determine his or her alcohol or drug level. This subsection (6) shall not prevent the necessity of establishing during a trial that the testing devices used were working properly and that such testing devices were properly operated. Nothing in this subsection (6) shall preclude a defendant from offering evidence concerning the accuracy of testing devices.

Source: L. 2013: Entire article R&RE, (HB 13-1154), ch. 372, p. 2188, § 2, effective July 1. L. 2018: (5)(d) and (5)(f) amended, (HB 18-1375), ch. 274, p. 1702, § 26, effective May 29. L. 2019: (5)(d) amended, (SB 19-242), ch. 396, p. 3527, § 12, effective May 31; (1)(b)(II) amended, (HB 19-1172), ch. 136, p. 1675, § 93, effective October 1.