Sec. 24-81.  Driving while intoxicated.

 

(a)   It shall be unlawful for any person to operate or be in the actual physical control of any motor vehicle while under the influence of alcoholic liquor or of any drug or when that person has ten-hundredths of one (1) per cent or more by weight of alcohol in his or her body fluid as shown by chemical analysis of his blood, breath, or urine.  Any person who shall operate or be in the actual physical control of any motor vehicle while under the influence of alcoholic liquor or of any drug or while having ten-hundredths of one (1) per cent by weight of alcohol in his or her body fluid as shown by chemical analysis of his or her blood, breath, or urine shall be deemed guilty of a crime and, upon conviction thereof, shall constitute an offense.

 

(b)   Any person who operates or has in his actual physical control a motor vehicle upon a public highway shall be deemed to have given his consent to submit to a chemical test of his blood, urine, or breath, for the purpose of determining the amount of alcoholic content in his body fluid.  Any law enforcement officer who has been duly authorized to make arrests for violations of traffic laws of this state or of ordinances of any city or village may require any person arrested for any offense arising out of acts alleged to have been committed while the person was driving or was in actual physical control of a motor vehicle while under the influence of alcoholic liquor to submit to a chemical test of his blood, breath, or urine for the purpose of determining the alcoholic content of his body fluid, when the officer has reasonable grounds to believe that such person was driving or was in the actual physical control of a motor vehicle upon a public highway in this state while under the influence of alcoholic liquor.  Any law enforcement officer who has been duly authorized to make arrests for violation of traffic laws of this state or ordinances of any city or village may require any person who operates or has in his actual physical control a motor vehicle upon a public highway in this state to submit to a preliminary test of his breath for alcohol content if the officer has reasonable grounds to believe that such person has alcohol in his body, or has committed a moving traffic violation, or has been involved in a traffic accident.  Any person who refuses to submit to such preliminary breath test or whose preliminary breath test results indicate an alcohol content of ten-hundredths of one (1) per cent or more shall be placed under arrest.  Any person who refuses to submit to such preliminary breath test shall be guilty of an offense.  Any person arrested as provided in this section may, upon the direction of a law enforcement officer, be required to submit to a chemical test of his blood, breath, or urine for a determination of the alcohol content.  Any person who refuses to submit to a chemical blood, breath, or urine test required pursuant to this section shall be guilty of an offense.

 

Any person who is required to submit to a preliminary breath test, or to a chemical blood, breath or urine test pursuant to this section shall be advised of the consequences of refusing to submit to such test.

 

(c)   Any person arrested for any offense involving the operation or actual physical control of a motor vehicle while under the influence of alcoholic liquor shall be required to submit to a chemical test of his blood, breath, or urine as provided herein without the preliminary breath test if the arresting officer does not have available the necessary equipment for administering a breath test or if the person is unconscious or is otherwise in a condition rendering him incapable of testing by a preliminary breath test.  Only a physician, registered nurse, or qualified technician acting at the request of a law enforcement officer may withdraw blood for the purpose of determining the alcoholic content therein, but this limitation shall not apply to the taking of a urine or breath specimen. 

 

Source:  Code 1962, § 10-11-1

State law reference--Similar provisions, R.R.S. 1943, 60-6,196 and 60-6,197, 60-6,199 to 60-6,210.