Section 350.155. Coroners and medical examiners to report; require blood specimen.

 

(1)  Every coroner or medical examiner shall on or before the 10th day of each month report in writing to the department the death of any person within the coroner's or medical examiner's jurisdiction during the preceding calendar month as the result of an accident involving a snowmobile and the circumstances of such accidents.

(2)  In cases of death involving a snowmobile in which the decedent died within 6 hours of the time of the accident, a blood specimen of at least 10 cc. shall be withdrawn from the body of the decedent within 12 hours after death, by the coroner or medical examiner or by a physician so designated by the coroner or medical examiner or by a qualified person at the direction of such physician. All funeral directors shall obtain a release from the coroner or medical examiner prior to proceeding with embalming any body coming under the scope of this section. The blood so drawn shall be forwarded to a laboratory approved by the department of health services for analysis of the alcoholic content of such blood specimen. The coroner or medical examiner causing the blood to be withdrawn shall be notified of the results of each analysis made and shall forward the results of each such analysis to the department of health services. The department of health services shall keep a record of all such examinations to be used for statistical purposes only. The cumulative results of the examinations, without identifying the individuals involved, shall be disseminated and made public by the department of health services. The department shall reimburse coroners and medical examiners for the costs incurred in submitting reports and taking blood specimens and laboratories for the costs incurred in analyzing blood specimens under this section.

1973 c. 298 ; 1975 c. 39 s. 732 (2) ; 1975 c. 199 ; 1983 a. 485 ; 1991 a. 316 ; 1995 a. 27 s. 9126 (19) ; 2007 a. 20 s. 9121 (6) (a) .