Following a jury trial, Michael Bell was convicted of driving under the influence to the degree it was less safe for him to drive “DUI less safe”, driving with a suspended or revoked license, and failing to maintain his lane. He appeals, arguing that the trial court erred in denying his motion to suppress. Bell also challenges the sufficiency of the evidence. For reasons that follow, we affirm. On appeal from a criminal conviction, the defendant no longer enjoys a presumption of innocence, and we view the evidence in a light most favorable to the verdict.1 We neither weigh the evidence nor judge the credibility of witnesses, but only determine whether the evidence was sufficient to establish guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.2 Viewed in this light, the evidence shows that on September 6, 2005, Corporal Mitchell of the Savannah-Chatham Metropolitan Police Department noticed Bell’s vehicle stopped at a green light. Bell then made a “wide sweeping turn” into the roadway behind Mitchell’s patrol car, changed lanes without signaling, and passed Mitchell. The officer sped up, and as the two vehicles proceeded side-by-side, Bell “drifted” into Mitchell’s lane, crossing the center line seven times. At one point, Mitchell had to swerve to avoid being struck by Bell. They approached a red light, where Bell stopped his vehicle approximately three to four car lengths behind the stop line. After proceeding through the green light, Bell again repeatedly crossed the center line into the adjacent lane.
Based on Bell’s actions, Mitchell stopped him and called for backup. Mitchell, who has specialized DUI training, noticed that Bell’s eyes were “bloodshot . . . and glazed over,” he seemed confused, and his speech was slurred. Mitchell also noticed a “strong odor” of alcohol coming from Bell’s vehicle and he observed what he believed to be an open cup of beer in the passenger’s side of the vehicle. Officer Dykes arrived on the scene and began questioning Bell, who “did not know where he was.” According to Dykes, Bell’s eyes were bloodshot and there was “a strong alcoholic odor emitting from his vehicle.” Dykes asked Bell to step out of the vehicle, and Bell complied, after an initial hesitation. Bell “staggered” and “actually leaned against the vehicle to hold himself up from falling over sic.”
