2017 South Carolina Code of Laws
Title 23 - Law Enforcement and Public Safety
CHAPTER 31 - FIREARMS
Section 23-31-415. Testing following death or serious personal injury; effect of refusal; evidentiary use.
(A) If a law enforcement officer has probable cause to believe that a person used a firearm while under the influence of alcohol or a controlled substance and caused the death or serious bodily injury of an individual, the person shall submit, upon the request of the law enforcement officer, to a test of his blood for the purpose of determining its alcohol content or for the presence of a controlled substance.
(B) A criminal charge resulting from the incident precipitating the officer's demand for testing should be tried concurrently with a charge of a violation of Section 23-31-400. If the charges are tried separately, the fact that the person refused, resisted, obstructed, or opposed testing is admissible at the trial of the criminal offense which precipitated the demand for testing.
(C) The results of any test administered pursuant to this section for the purpose of detecting the presence of a controlled substance is not admissible as evidence in a criminal prosecution for the possession of a controlled substance.
Notwithstanding another provision of law pertaining to the confidentiality of hospital records or other medical records, information obtained pursuant to this section must be released to a court, prosecuting attorney, defense attorney, or law enforcement officer in connection with an alleged violation of Section 23-31-400 upon request for such information.
HISTORY: 1996 Act No. 464, Section 2.
