Section 304.894

Title XIX MOTOR VEHICLES, WATERCRAFT AND AVIATION

Chapter 304

Effective - 28 Aug 2019, 2 histories   

  304.894.  Offense of endangerment of an emergency responder, elements — penalties — revocation of driver's license, when. — 1.  A person commits the offense of endangerment of an emergency responder for any of the following offenses when the offense occurs within an active emergency zone:

  (1)  Exceeding the posted speed limit by fifteen miles per hour or more;

  (2)  Passing in violation of subsection 3 of section 304.892;

  (3)  Failure to stop for an active emergency zone flagman or emergency responder, or failure to obey traffic control devices erected, or personnel posted, in the active emergency zone for purposes of controlling the flow of motor vehicles through the zone;

  (4)  Driving through or around an active emergency zone via any lane not clearly designated for motorists to control the flow of traffic through or around the active emergency zone;

  (5)  Physically assaulting, attempting to assault, or threatening to assault an emergency responder with a motor vehicle or other instrument; or

  (6)  Intentionally striking, moving, or altering barrels, barriers, signs, or other devices erected to control the flow of traffic to protect emergency responders and motorists unless the action was necessary to avoid an obstacle, an emergency, or to protect the health and safety of an occupant of the motor vehicle or of another person.

  2.  Upon a finding of guilt or a plea of guilty for committing the offense of endangerment of an emergency responder under subsection 1 of this section, if no injury or death to an emergency responder resulted from the offense, the court shall assess a fine of not more than one thousand dollars, and four points shall be assessed to the operator's license pursuant to section 302.302 upon conviction.

  3.  A person commits the offense of aggravated endangerment of an emergency responder upon a finding of guilt or a plea of guilty for any offense under subsection 1 of this section when such offense results in the injury or death of an emergency responder.  Upon a finding of guilt or a plea of guilty for committing the offense of aggravated endangerment of an emergency responder, in addition to any other penalty authorized by law, the court shall assess a fine of not more than five thousand dollars if the offense resulted in injury to an emergency responder, and ten thousand dollars if the offense resulted in the death of an emergency responder.  In addition, twelve points shall be assessed to the operator's license pursuant to section 302.302 upon conviction.

  4.  Except for the offense established under subdivision (6) of subsection 1 of this section, no person shall be deemed to have committed the offense of endangerment of an emergency responder except when the act or omission constituting the offense occurred when one or more emergency responders were responding to an active emergency.

  5.  No person shall be cited for, or found guilty of, endangerment of an emergency responder or aggravated endangerment of an emergency responder, for any act or omission otherwise constituting an offense under subsection 1 of this section, if such act or omission resulted in whole or in part from mechanical failure of the person's vehicle, or from the negligence of another person or emergency responder.

  6.  (1)  Notwithstanding any provision of this section or any other law to the contrary, the director of the department of revenue or his or her agent shall order the revocation of a driver's license upon its determination that an individual holding such license was involved in a physical accident where his or her negligent acts or omissions substantially contributed to his or her vehicle striking an emergency responder within an active emergency zone where the appropriate visual markings for active emergency zones were properly implemented.  The department shall make its determination of these facts on the basis of the report of a law enforcement officer investigating the incident and this determination shall be final unless a hearing is requested and held as provided under subdivision (2) of this subsection.  Upon its determination that the facts support a license revocation, the department shall issue a notice of revocation which shall be mailed to the person at the last known address shown on the department's records.  The notice is deemed received three days after mailing unless returned by postal authorities.  The notice of revocation shall clearly specify the reason and statutory grounds for the revocation, the effective date of the revocation which shall be at least fifteen days from the date the department issued its order, the right of the person to request a hearing, and the date by which the request for a hearing must be made.

  (2)  An individual who received notice of revocation from the department under this section may seek reinstatement by either:

  (a)  Taking and passing the written and driving portions of the driver's license examination, in which case the individual's driver's license shall be immediately reinstated; or

  (b)  Petitioning for a hearing before a circuit division or associate division of the court in the county in which the emergency zone accident occurred.  The individual may request such court to issue an order staying the revocation until such time as the petition for review can be heard.  If the court, in its discretion, grants such stay, it shall enter the order upon a form prescribed by the director of revenue and shall send a copy of such order to the director.  Such order shall serve as proof of the privilege to operate a motor vehicle in this state, and the director shall maintain possession of the person's license to operate a motor vehicle until the termination of any suspension under this subsection.  The clerk of the court shall notify the prosecuting attorney of the county, and the prosecutor shall appear at the hearing on behalf of the director of revenue.  At the hearing, the court shall determine only:

  a.  Whether the person was involved in a physical accident where his or her vehicle struck an emergency responder within an active emergency zone;

  b.  Whether the guidelines involving notice and signage were properly implemented in such emergency zone; and

  c.  Whether the investigating officer had probable cause to believe the person's negligent acts or omissions substantially contributed to his or her vehicle striking an emergency responder.

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If the court determines subparagraph a., b., or c. of this paragraph^* not to be in the affirmative, the court shall order the director to reinstate the license or permit to drive.

  (3)  The department of revenue administrative adjudication to reinstate a driver's license that was revoked under this subsection, and any evidence provided to the department related to such adjudication, shall not be produced by subpoena or any other means and made available as evidence in any other administrative action, civil case, or criminal prosecution.  The court's determinations issued under this section, and the evidence provided to the court relating to such determinations, shall not be produced by subpoena or any other means and made available in any other administrative action, civil case, or criminal prosecution.  Nothing in this subdivision shall be construed to prevent the department from providing information to the system authorized under 49 U.S.C. Section 31309, or any successor federal law, pertaining to the licensing, identification, and disqualification of operators of commercial motor vehicles.

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(L. 2013 H.B. 103 merged with S.B. 282, A.L. 2019 H.B. 499 merged with S.B. 89)

*Word "subdivision" appears here in original rolls of S.B. 89, 2019.