Connecticut General Statutes
Chapter 248 - Vehicle Highway Use
Section 14-227c. - *(See end of section for amended version and effective date.) Blood or breath samples required following accidents resulting in death or serious physical injury.

(a) As part of the investigation of any motor vehicle accident resulting in the death of a person, the Chief Medical Examiner, Deputy Chief Medical Examiner, an associate medical examiner, a pathologist as specified in section 19a-405, or an authorized assistant medical examiner, as the case may be, shall order that a blood sample be taken from the body of any operator or pedestrian who dies as a result of such accident. Such blood samples shall be examined for the presence and concentration of alcohol and any drug by the Division of Scientific Services within the Department of Emergency Services and Public Protection or by the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner. Nothing in this subsection or section 19a-406 shall be construed as requiring such medical examiner to perform an autopsy in connection with obtaining such blood samples.

(b) A blood or breath sample shall be obtained from any surviving operator whose motor vehicle is involved in an accident resulting in the serious physical injury, as defined in section 53a-3, or death of another person, if (1) a police officer has probable cause to believe that such operator operated such motor vehicle while under the influence of intoxicating liquor or any drug, or both, or (2) such operator has been charged with a motor vehicle violation in connection with such accident and a police officer has a reasonable and articulable suspicion that such operator operated such motor vehicle while under the influence of intoxicating liquor or any drug, or both. The test shall be performed by or at the direction of a police officer according to methods and with equipment approved by the Department of Emergency Services and Public Protection and shall be performed by a person certified or recertified for such purpose by said department or recertified by persons certified as instructors by the Commissioner of Emergency Services and Public Protection. The equipment used for such test shall be checked for accuracy by a person certified by the Department of Emergency Services and Public Protection immediately before and after such test is performed. If a blood test is performed, it shall be on a blood sample taken by a person licensed to practice medicine and surgery in this state, a qualified laboratory technician, a registered nurse, a physician assistant or a phlebotomist. The blood samples obtained from an operator pursuant to this subsection shall be examined for the presence and concentration of alcohol and any drug by the Division of Scientific Services within the Department of Emergency Services and Public Protection.
(1971, P.A. 328; P.A. 75-308, S. 2; P.A. 76-245; P.A. 77-614, S. 323, 610; P.A. 79-47, S. 4; P.A. 80-142, S. 1; 80-190, S. 3; P.A. 93-381, S. 9, 39; P.A. 95-257, S. 12, 21, 58; 95-314, S. 6; P.A. 99-218, S. 5, 16; P.A. 00-196, S. 11; May 9 Sp. Sess. P.A. 02-1, S. 110; P.A. 03-265, S. 4; P.A. 04-250, S. 5; P.A. 06-173, S. 1; P.A. 07-252, S. 37; P.A. 11-51, S. 134.)
*Note: On and after April 1, 2022, this section, as amended by section 119 of public act 21-1 of the June special session, is to read as follows:
“Sec. 14-227c. Blood, breath or urine sample and drug influence evaluation required following accident resulting in death or serious physical injury. (a) As part of the investigation of any motor vehicle accident resulting in the death of a person, the Chief Medical Examiner, Deputy Chief Medical Examiner, an associate medical examiner, a pathologist as specified in section 19a-405, or an authorized assistant medical examiner, as the case may be, shall order that a blood sample be taken from the body of any operator or pedestrian who dies as a result of such accident. Such blood samples shall be examined for the presence and concentration of alcohol and any drug by the Division of Scientific Services within the Department of Emergency Services and Public Protection or by the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner, or by any forensic toxicology laboratory pursuant to an agreement with the office. Nothing in this subsection or section 19a-406 shall be construed as requiring such medical examiner to perform an autopsy in connection with obtaining such blood samples.
(b) If any surviving operator whose motor vehicle is involved in an accident resulting in the serious physical injury, as defined in section 53a-3, or death of another person, and (1) a police officer has probable cause to believe that such operator operated such motor vehicle while under the influence of intoxicating liquor or any drug, or both, or (2) such operator has been charged with a motor vehicle violation in connection with such accident and a police officer has a reasonable and articulable suspicion that such operator operated such motor vehicle while under the influence of intoxicating liquor or any drug, or both:
(A) A blood, breath or urine sample shall be obtained from such surviving operator. The test shall be performed by or at the direction of a police officer according to methods and with equipment approved by the Department of Emergency Services and Public Protection and shall be performed by a person certified or recertified for such purpose by said department or recertified by persons certified as instructors by the Commissioner of Emergency Services and Public Protection. The equipment used for such test shall be checked for accuracy by a person certified by the Department of Emergency Services and Public Protection immediately before and after such test is performed. If a blood test is performed, it shall be on a blood sample taken by a person licensed to practice medicine and surgery in this state, a qualified laboratory technician, a registered nurse, a physician assistant or a phlebotomist. A blood sample obtained from an operator pursuant to this subsection shall be examined for the presence and concentration of alcohol and any drug by the Division of Scientific Services within the Department of Emergency Services and Public Protection; and
(B) A drug recognition expert shall conduct a drug influence evaluation of such surviving operator, provided such operator is not seriously injured or otherwise unable to take such evaluation as a result of the accident.
(c) Each police officer who obtains from a surviving operator any blood, breath or urine sample or a drug influence evaluation conducted on such operator pursuant to subsection (b) of this section shall submit to the Commissioner of Motor Vehicles a written report providing the results of such sample or evaluation on a form approved by the commissioner. The commissioner may, after notice and an opportunity for a hearing held in accordance with chapter 54 and section 14-227b, suspend the motor vehicle operator's license or operating privilege of such person and require such person to install and maintain an ignition interlock device as provided for in subsection (i) of section 14-227b. Such hearing shall be limited to a determination of the following issues: (1) Was the person operating the motor vehicle; (2) was the person's sample obtained in accordance with, or drug influence evaluation conducted pursuant to, the provisions of subsection (b) of this section; and (3) was the examined sample found to have an elevated blood alcohol content, as defined in section 14-227b or was the person operating the motor vehicle under the influence of intoxicating liquor or any drug, or both.
(d) In any motor vehicle accident resulting in the death of a person, the law enforcement unit, as defined in section 7-294a, responding to the accident shall assign an officer trained in advanced roadside impaired driving enforcement to respond, if such an officer is available.”
(1971, P.A. 328; P.A. 75-308, S. 2; P.A. 76-245; P.A. 77-614, S. 323, 610; P.A. 79-47, S. 4; P.A. 80-142, S. 1; 80-190, S. 3; P.A. 93-381, S. 9, 39; P.A. 95-257, S. 12, 21, 58; 95-314, S. 6; P.A. 99-218, S. 5, 16; P.A. 00-196, S. 11; May 9 Sp. Sess. P.A. 02-1, S. 110; P.A. 03-265, S. 4; P.A. 04-250, S. 5; P.A. 06-173, S. 1; P.A. 07-252, S. 37; P.A. 11-51, S. 134; June Sp. Sess. P.A. 21-1, S. 119.)
History: P.A. 75-308 deleted 4-hour deadline for taking sample after death and required examination by health department toxicology lab or medical examiner's office; P.A. 76-245 added provision re autopsy; P.A. 77-614 replaced state department of health with department of health services, effective January 1, 1979; P.A. 79-47 included references to deputy chief medical examiners, associate medical examiners and pathologists; P.A. 80-142 and 80-190 deleted reference to coroners; P.A. 93-381 replaced department of health services with department of public health and addiction services, effective July 1, 1993; P.A. 95-257 replaced Commissioner and Department of Public Health and Addiction Services with Commissioner and Department of Public Health, effective July 1, 1995; P.A. 95-314 required that blood or breath test be performed by or at direction of police officer according to approved methods and with equipment checked for accuracy by certified personnel and provided if a blood test is performed, it shall be on a blood sample taken by specified medical personnel; P.A. 99-218 replaced toxicological laboratory of the Department of Public Health with Division of Scientific Services within the Department of Public Safety, and replaced Department and Commissioner of Public Health with Department and Commissioner of Public Safety, effective July 1, 1999; P.A. 00-196 changed an incorrect internal reference to Sec. 14-227b to Sec. 14-227a; May 9 Sp. Sess. P.A. 02-1 made a technical change, effective July 1, 2002; P.A. 03-265 divided existing provisions into Subsecs. (a) and (b), amended Subsec. (a) to replace “a fatality” with “the death of a person” and require the blood samples be examined for the presence and concentration of “any drug”, amended Subsec. (b) to replace “To the extent provided by law, a blood or breath sample may also be obtained from any surviving operator whose motor vehicle is involved in such an accident” with “A blood or breath sample shall be obtained from any surviving operator whose motor vehicle is involved in an accident resulting in the serious physical injury, as defined in section 53a-3, or death of another person, if a police officer has probable cause to believe that such operator operated such motor vehicle while under the influence of intoxicating liquor or any drug, or both”, to require the blood samples be examined for the presence and concentration of “any drug” and to make technical changes and repositioned from Subsec. (b) to Subsec. (a) language re nothing being construed as requiring the performance of an autopsy; P.A. 04-250 amended Subsec. (b) to permit physician assistant to take blood sample of surviving operator; P.A. 06-173 amended Subsec. (b) to designate existing provision requiring police officer to have probable cause as Subdiv. (1) and add Subdiv. (2) requiring that sample be obtained if the operator has been charged with a motor vehicle violation in connection with accident and police officer has a reasonable and articulable suspicion that operator operated vehicle while under the influence of intoxicating liquor, any drug or both; P.A. 07-252 amended Subsec. (b) by deleting authority of emergency medical technicians to take blood samples, effective July 1, 2007; pursuant to P.A. 11-51, “Commissioner of Public Safety” and “Department of Public Safety” were changed editorially by the Revisors to “Commissioner of Emergency Services and Public Protection” and “Department of Emergency Services and Public Protection”, respectively, effective July 1, 2011; June Sp. Sess. P.A. 21-1 amended Subsec. (a) to add provision re forensic toxicology laboratory, amended Subsec. (b) to rewrite provisions, insert Subpara. (A) indicator and add Subpara. (B) re drug influence evaluation and added Subsecs. (c) and (d), effective April 1, 2022.

Structure Connecticut General Statutes