THI RD DI VI SI ON

DOYLE, P. J.

, REESE and BROWN, JJ.

N O T IC E : M otions for r e c ons i de r a tion m us t be

ph y sic a l ly r e ce iv ed i n our c le r k ’s offic e w ithin te n

da y s of the da te of de c is ion to be de e m ed tim e ly file d.

https ://w w w

. ga a ppe a ls .us /r ule s

D E A D LIN E S A R E N O LO N G E R TO LLE D IN T

H I S

C O U R T. A LL FILIN G S M U ST B E S U B M I TTE D WITH IN

TH E TIM E S S E T B Y

O U R C O U R T R U LE S

.

D ecem ber 6, 2021



# I n th e Co u r t o f

A p p eals o f

G eo r g ia

A2 1 A1 29 9 . SPIRES v . THOM AS.

B R O W N , J u d g e.

J es s Freem an Sp i res s u ed Rav en Dam o n e Th o m as s eek i n g t o reco v er fo r

i n j u ri es h e s us tai n ed wh en h e was s t ru ck by a v eh icl e d ri v en by Th o m as

. T h e t r i a l

co u rt g ran t ed s u m

m ary ju d g m en t t o Th o m as

, an d t hi s ap p eal f o l l o wed

. Fo r t h e

reas on s s et fo rt h b el o w, we rev ers e.

“ Su m m ary ju d g m en t i s pro p er wh en th ere is n o gen u i n e is su e of m at eri al fact

an d th e m o v an t i s en t i t l ed t o ju d g m en t as a m at t er o f l aw. OCGA § 9 -1 1 -5 6 (c). Th i s

[C] o u rt ap p l ies a de n o v o s t an d ard o f rev i ew t o an ap p eal fro m a g ran t o f s u m

m ary

ju d g m en t a n d we v i ew t h e ev i d en ce i n th e li g h t m o s t fav o rab le t o t h e n o n m o v an t .”

(Ci t at i o n an d p u n ct u at i o n o m i t t ed .) Kel l y v. Fa n n

, 3 4 3 Ga. Ap p

. 3 5 1 (8 0 7 SE2 d 9 8 )

(2 0 1 7). So v i ewed

, th e ev i d en ce s h o ws t h at at ap pro x i m at el y 5 : 3 0 a.m

. o n M arch 1 9,2 0 1 7

, Sp i res w as wal k in g s ou t h o n St at e Ro ad 8 7 o n h is way to wo rk at t h e Hu d d l e

Ho u s e i n Eas t m an wh en h e was s t ru ck b y Th o m as ’ v eh icl e, wh i ch was t rav el i n g n o rt h

o n t h e s am e ro ad

. Sp i res w as th ro wn t h ro u g h t h e ai r a n d l a n d e d i n a di t ch 2 0 feet

f r o m t h e e d g e o f th e ro ad way

. He b ro ke h i s no s e, h i s ri g h t fo rearm (co m p o u n d

fract u re), h i s ri g ht k n ee, h i s p el v i s

, an d h i s b ack

. T h e i m p act t o re h i s u ret h ra o ff h i s

b l ad d er an d cau s ed a p o s s ib le co n cu s s i o n

. Sp i res n ev er s aw Th o m as ’ veh i cl e an d h ad

n o reco l l ect i o n o f t h e act u al i m p act ; h e d i d n o t k n o w h e h ad b een h i t u n t i l h e wo k e

u p i n t h e h o sp it al at l eas t a week o r t wo l at er.

Acco rd i ng t o Th o m as

, sh e was t rav el i n g n o rt h o n a s t rai gh t p art o f St at e Ro ad

8 7 wh en s h e h i t Sp ires

. Sh e h ad o n h er h i g h b eam s; was lo o ki n g s trai g h t ah ead ; an d

b el i ev es s h e was t rav el i n g 4 5 t o 5 0 m i l es p er ho u r. Th o m as d ep o s ed t h at s h e d i d n ot

2s ee Sp ires an d t h o u gh t t hat sh e h ad h i t a d eer. 1 Aft er t h e i m p act

, Th om as s t o p p ed h er

v eh icl e, cal l ed h er m ot h er, an d t h en cal l ed p o l i ce.

Th e “ G eo rg ia T r a ffi c Cras h Rep o rt ” n o t es t h at Sp i res w as “ wal k i n g

s o u t h b o u n d

, in t h e r o a d

wa y

, in t h e n o rt hb o un d l an e [an d th at h e] cam e to res t 2 0 feet

eas t o f t h e eas t ro ad way ed g e”; t h at “ [t ] h ere was no ro ad w ay ev id en ce t o s u p p o rt t h e

ex act area o f i m

pact

, h o w ev er t h ere [were] n o t i re m ark s /s k i d m ark s o n t h e s h o u l d er

o f t h e ro ad way t h at wo u ld i n di cat e [Th o m as ’ ] v eh icl e

. . . t rav el ed o ff t h e ro ad ”; t h at

“ [a] b o t t l e of M i ch el o b Ul t ra b eer was l y i n g b es i d e t h e ped es t ri an at fi n al res t ”; an d

t h at “ [t ] he i n i t ial res p o n d i n g d ep u t y

, Al l en Ham m o ck

, d es cri b ed t h e p ed es t ri a n as

b ei n g i nt o x i cat ed .” (Em

p h as is s u p p l i ed .) Th e rep o rt al s o no t ed t h at aft er t h e i m p act

,

Th o m as t rav el ed 56 7 feet b efo re b ri n g i ng her v eh icl e to a s to p

, an d t h at l aw

1 In h er i n t erro g at ory res p o n ses

, Th o m as s t at ed t h at s h e di d n o t s ee Sp ires u n t i l

h e “ u n ex p ect ed l y s t ep p ed i n t o t h e ro ad way i m m ed i at el y i n fro n t of h er o n c o m i n g

v eh icl e.

. . an d s h e un av o id ab l y co l l i d ed wi t h h i m .” Du ri n g h er d ep o s i t io n

, Th o m as

e x p l a i n e d t h at s h e d id n ’ t s ee Sp i res at al l

, an d was “ as s u m i n g t h at ’ s wh at h ad t o

h ap pen .” Sh e t es t i fi ed fu rt h er t h at Sp i res “ p ro b ab l y d art ed i n fro n t o f [h e r] car”

b ecau s e h e was d ru n k

. Sh e al s o t es t ifi ed t h at s h e “ d i d n ’ t s ee [Sp i res ] at al l ” u n t i l h e

was lo ad ed i n t o t h e am

b u l an ce. Du ri n g h er d ep o s i t i o n, Th o m as ex p l a i n e d t h at t h e

p o l i ce o ffi cer t o l d h er t h at Sp i res was “ real l y dru n k ” (b ecau s e h e s m el l ed al co h o l o n

Sp i res an d b ecau s e t h ere was a b eer co n t ai ner ly i ng n ex t t o h i m i n t h e d i t ch ), b u t t h at

s h e w as n o t su re i f Sp i res had s t ep p ed i n fro n t o f her v eh i cl e b ecau s e s h e d i d n o t s ee

h i m at al l

. Sh e c o u l d n o t recal l i f s h e t o l d so m eo n e t h at Sp i res was s t an d i n g i n t h e

m i d d l e o f t h e ro ad

, bu t s h e as s um ed t h at was t he cas e b ecau s e s h e “ was t rav el i n g in

a s t rai g h t l i n e.”

3en fo rcem en t s u s pect ed al co h o l u s e (b u t n o t d ru g u s e) b y Sp i res , b u t t hat an al co h ol

“ TEST [W AS] NOT GIVEN” t o Sp i res

. 2

Acco rd i ng to Sp i res

, h e h ad wal ked t h i s ro u te “ a m i l l io n t i m es ,” an d w as

wal k i n g o n t h e s i d e of t he g ras s

, ab o u t a fo o t -an d -a-h al f fro m t he wh i t e “ fo g l i n e” an d

o ff t h e p av em en t. As t o h i s l o cat i o n

, Sp i res d ep o s ed as fo l l o w s : “ I k n o w I was o ff t h e

ro ad

. I was n ot p as [t ] th at wh i t e l i n e o n t h e h i g h way

. I was n o t o n t h e p av em en t

. . .

. I k n o w I g o t g o o d e n o u g h s en s e n o t t o wal k d own t h e m i d d l e o f t h e h i g h way .”

Sp i res h ad n o reco l l ect i o n o f t h e act u al i m p act an d d i d n o t k n o w wh at h ap p en ed u n t i l

h e wo k e up i n th e h o sp i t al

. W h en as k ed i f h e ev er st ep p ed o n to th e p av em en t

, Sp i res

d ep os ed

, “ No

, n o t t h at I can rem em b er.

. . . I m ean

, I’ m pret t y s m art ab o u t s t ay i n g o ut

o f t raffi c.” Acco rd i n g t o Sp i res

, h e h as n o i d ea wh at Th o m as was d o i n g “ o r h o w [t h e

acci den t ] h ap p en ed o r wh y i t h ap p en ed [.] ” Sp i res d en i ed t h at h e was i n to x i cat ed at

t h e t i m e o f t h e acci d en t o r t h at h e was d ri n k i n g t h at m o rn in g o n h i s way t o wo rk

, b ut

t es t i fi ed t h at aft er b ei ng th ro wn t h ro u g h th e ai r an d i n t o a d i t ch

, h e s u pp o s ed l y l an d ed

o n a b eer b o t t le. 3 Sp ires d i d n o t b el i ev e h e h ad been d ri nk i n g t h e ni g h t b e f o r e, b ut

2 Th ere i s al s o n o ev i d en ce i n t h e reco rd t h at Sp i res ’ t reat i n g p h y s i ci an s o rd ered

a t ox i co l o g y s creen

.

3 As t o t h e n ot at i o n i n t h e acci d en t rep o rt th at h e w as i n t o x i cat ed

, Sp i res

t es t i fi ed as fo l l o ws :

4t es t i fi ed t h at he m ay h av e h ad “ a d ri n k o r t wo .” Sp i res s wo re th at h e h a d n ot

co n su m ed an y

al co h o l aft er m i d n i g h t o n M arch 1 9 , 2 01 7

.

Th o m as fi l ed a m o t i on t o en fo r c e s et t l em en t o r in t h e al t ern at i ve m o t i o n fo r

s u m m ary ju d gm en t

, al l eg i n g t h at th e acci d en t o ccu rred wh en Sp ires st ep p ed o ff t h e

s h o u l d er an d i n t o t h e ro ad way

, d i rect l y i n t o t he p at h o f Th o m as ’ v eh i cl e, an d t h at

Sp i res can no t p ro v i d e an y ev i d en ce t o s h o w t h at Th o m as n e g l i g e n tl y o p erat ed h er

v eh icl e at t h e t i m e o f t h e acci d en t

. 4 Sp i res res p o n d ed

, a t t a c h i ng t h e affi d av i t o f

acci den t r e co n s tru ct i o n i s t / i n v es t i g at o r Pet e J o n es

, i n wh i ch h e co n cl u ded t h at a

p ers o n o p erat i n g a v eh i cl e s i m i l ar t o t h e o n e op erat ed b y Th o m as at t h e t i m e o f t h e

acci den t

, d u ri n g s i m i l ar co n d i t i o n s

, wi t h i t s h ead l i g h ts o n an d t rav el i ng at o r wi t h in

t h e s p e e d l i m i t o f 5 5 m i l es p er h o u r, wo u l d be ab l e t o vi ew a p ed es t ri an o n t h e

t h at p is s es m e o ff m o re t han m e g et t i n’ ru n ov er d o es

. . . . I m ean

, al l th e

c o ps u p t h ere i n Eas tm an k n o w m e. I’ v e wo rk ed at t h e Hu d d le Ho us e,

ri gh t t here, wi t h ‘ em

, wh ere ev ery o n e o f t h em co m e i n o n b reak ev ery

n i g h t

, yo u k n o w. Th ey s ee m e, u p t h ere, d o i n g wh at ev er I h ad t o d o

.

Th ey kn ew I d i d n ’ t d ri n k

. I d o n’ t kn o w wh y t h e St at e Pat ro l wo u l d co m e

s ay t h at ju s t b ecau s e I l an d ed o n a, s o -cal l ed , b eer can i n t h e d it ch

.

4 Rel y i n g on t h e “ Geo rg i a Traffi c Cras h Rep o rt ,” T h o m as ’ s t a t em en t o f

u n d i s p u t ed m at eri al fact s s t at es t h at “ [a] t th e ti m e o f t h e i m p act

, [Sp i res ] was wal k i n g

s o u t h b o u n d al o n g o r i n th e n ort h b o u nd l an e o f t rav el fo r St at e Ro ut e 8 7 .”

5s h o u ld er o f t h e ro ad fro m 1 85 feet away an d wo u l d h av e s u ffi ci en t t i m e an d d i s t an ce

t o av o id hi t t i n g th e p ed es tri an , an d t h at ev en t h o u g h t h e ro ad w ay h as a s lo w cu rv e,

i t “ gen eral l y o ffers a cl ear, u n o b s t ru ct ed v iew an d fi el d o f v i s i o n o f t h in g s i n t h e

ro a d w a y a n d o ff t o t h e s i d e o f t h e ro ad way

. ” J o n es al so av erred t h at Th o m as h ad a

d u t y t o s t o p as cl o s e to t he scen e a s p o s s i b l e an d h er fai l u re t o d o s o “ m ay h av e

u n d erm i n ed t h e s cen e ev i den ce an d i n v es t i gat i o n ” as “ i n v es t i gat i n g o ffi cers n eed to

s ee wh ere v eh icl es are st o pp ed an d o ft en s peak t o d ri vers ab o u t wh ere cert ai n ev en t s

o ccu rred

, b u t l eav i n g t h e scen e can affect l o cat i o n o f m ark s o n an d o ff t h e ro ad way

an d t h e co l l ect i o n o f o t h er p h y s i cal ev i d en ce.”

Th e t ri al co u rt g ran t ed Th o m as ’ m o t io n fo r s u m m ary ju d g m en t, fi n di n g t h at

S p i r es p res en t ed n o ev i den ce o f a s p eci fi c act o f n eg l i g en ce b y Th o m as t h at

p ro x im at el y cau s ed h i s in ju ri es

. Sp eci fi cal l y

, t h e reco rd c o n t a i n s n o ev id en ce t h at

T h o m a s left h er l an e o f t rav el an d h i t Sp i res o ff t h e ro ad way an d n o ev id en ce as to

Sp i res ’ l o cat i o n at t h e t im e o f i m p act ; “ [t ] o t h e co n t rary , t he Cras h Rep o rt p ro v i d es

t h ere were n o t i re m ark s / s k i d m ark s o n t h e s h ou l d er o f t h e r o a d way t hat wo u ld

i n d i cat e [Th o m as ’ ] v eh i cl e trav el ed o ff t h e ro ad .” Th e tri al c o u r t a l s o n ot ed t h at

Th o m as am en d ed h er i n terro g at o ry res p o n s e an d t h at t h ere i s n o co n t rad i ct o ry

t es t i m o ny to b e co n st ru ed ag ai ns t h er an d t h at th e reco rd es tab l is h es t h at Th om as d id

6n o t s ee Sp i res an d t h at Sp i res d i d n ot s ee Th o m as ’ v eh i cl e o r reco l l ect t h e i m p act

.

Fi n al l y

, rel y i n g o n Ir el an d v. W il l i a ms

, 3 5 1 Ga. Ap p

. 1 24 (8 3 0 SE2 d 53 8 ) (2 0 1 9 ), t h e

t ri al co u rt co n cl u ded th at J o n es ’ ex p ert affi d av i t co n t ai n s s pecu l at i o n an d co n ject u re

wh i ch i s i n s u ffi ci en t t o d efeat s u m m ary ju d g m en t . Sp i res ap p eal s t h i s ru l i ng

.

1

. As a p rel i m i n ary m at t er, we m us t det erm i n e wh et h er t h e t ri al co u rt p ro p erl y

reject ed t h e ex p ert ’ s affi d av i t an d wh et h er i t p ro perl y rel i ed o n t h e cras h rep o rt

.

(a) Exp er t ’s Af

f i da vi t

. T h e t ri al co u rt erred i n reject i n g t h e ex p ert ’ s affi d av i t

.

OCGA § 2 4 -7 -7 0 2 (b ) p ro v id es t h at

[i ] f s ci en t i fi c, t ech n i cal

, o r o t h er s peci al i zed k n o wl ed g e wi l l as si s t th e

t ri er o f fact t o u n d ers t an d t h e ev i d en ce o r t o d et erm i n e a fact i n i s s u e, a

wi t n es s q ual i fi ed as an ex p ert b y k no wl ed g e, s k i l l

, ex p eri en ce, t rai n i n g

,

o r ed u cat i o n m ay t es t i fy t h eret o in t h e fo rm o f an op i n i o n o r ot h erwi s e,

i f : ( 1 ) [t ] h e t es t i m o n y i s b as ed u p o n su ffi ci en t fact s o r d at a; (2 ) [ t ]h e

t es t i m o n y i s t h e p ro d uct o f rel i ab le p ri nci p l es an d m et h od s ; an d (3 ) [t ] he

wi t n es s h as ap p li ed t h e p ri n ci p l es an d m et h o d s rel i ab l y t o t he fact s o f

t h e cas e. 5

See al s o W

i l s o n v. Red

mo n d Co n s t r

. , 3 5 9 Ga. Ap p

. 8 1 4

, 8 1 9 (8 6 0 SE2 d 1 18 ) (2 0 2 1 ).

It h as l o n g b een reco g n i zed t h at an ex p ert ’ s o p i n i o n b as ed u p o n i n ad eq u at e

k n o wl ed g e, co n

j ect ure, o r s p ecu l at i o n “ do es n o t m an d at e th e ex cl u s i o n o f th e o p i n i o n

5 Th o m as h as n o t ch al l en g ed t h e ex p ert ’ s t es t i m o n y / affi d av it

.

7b u t

, rat h er, p res en t s a j u ry q ues t i o n a s t o t h e wei g h t w hi ch s h ou l d b e as s i g n ed t h e

o p i n i o n .” La

yf i el d v. Dep t

. of Tr a ns

p

., 2 80 Ga. 8 4 8

, 8 5 1 (1 ) (6 3 2 SE2 d 1 3 5 ) (2 0 0 6 )

(r e v e rs i n g affi rm an ce o f t ri al co u rt ’ s g ran t o f s u m m ary ju d g m en t t o d efen d an t

p red i cat ed s o l el y u po n s p ecu lat i v e n at u re o f ex p ert ’ s o p i n i o n as t o reas o n fo r cras h ).

In d eed

, “ t h e ap p ro p ri at e s t an d ard fo r as s es si n g t h e ad m i s s ib i l i ty of [an ex p ert ’ s

o p i n i o n ] i s n o t wh et h er it i s s p ecu l at i v e or co nject u ral t o s om e d eg ree, b u t wh et h er

i t i s wh o l l y s o .” Id

. at 8 5 0 (1 ). See al s o G a. Dep t

. o f Tr a n s p. v. Mi l l er

, 3 0 0 Ga. Ap p.

8 5 7

, 8 6 2 (2 ) (b ) (6 8 6 SE2 d 4 5 5 ) (2 0 0 9 ); Ea s t er n Deh yd ra t i n g Co

. v. Br own

, 1 1 2 Ga.

Ap p

. 3 4 9, 3 5 1-3 52 (4 ) (1 4 5 SE2 d 2 7 4 ) (1 96 5 ) (“ [i ] t i s n o t erro r t o al l o w wi t n es s es to

t es t i fy t o t h ei r o p i n io n s o f t he s p eed o f an au t om o bi le, wh et h er t h ey b e ex p ert o r l ay

wi t n es s es

, wh ere t h ey h av e p ro p erl y s t at ed t h e fact s u po n wh i ch t h ei r o pi n i o n s are

b as ed ”) (ci t at i o n an d p un ct u at i on o m i t t ed ). Cf. Fo u t s v. Bu i l d er s Tr a ns p or t

, 2 2 2 Ga.

Ap p

. 5 68

, 57 5 (1 ) (4 7 4 SE2 d 7 4 6 ) (1 9 9 6 ) ( t r i a l c o u r t d id n ot err i n perm i t t i n g an

ey ewi t n es s t o ex p res s h er o p i n i o n as t o wh et h er a t ru ck co u l d h av e s t o p p ed i f i t s

b rak es w ere wo rk i ng p ro p erl y

, wh ere s he t es t i fi ed t o t h e reas o n s fo r h er o p i n i o n,

i n cl u d i n g h er o b s erv at i o n s of t h e acci den t an d h er ex p eri en ce an d k n o wl ed g e o f t h e

i n t ers ect i o n ). M oreo v er, “ [e] x p ert o p i n i o n t es ti m o n y o n i ss u es t o b e d eci d ed b y t h e

ju ry

, ev en th e u l t i m at e i s s u e, i s ad m i s s i b l e wh ere t h e co n cl u s i o n o f t h e ex p ert i s o n e

8wh i ch ju ro rs w o ul d n o t o rd i n ari l y b e ab l e t o draw fo r t h em s el v es ; i .e., t h e co n cl u s i o n

i s b ey o nd th e k en of t h e l ay m an .” (Ci t at i o n a n d p u n c t u at i o n o m i t t ed .) F o r t n er v.

To wn o f Reg i s t er , 2 8 9 Ga. Ap p . 5 43 , 5 4 6 (1 ) (6 5 7 SE2 d 6 2 0 ) (2 0 0 8 ). 6

(b ) Cr a sh R ep o r t

. Un d er OCGA § 2 4 -8 -8 0 3 (8 ) (C), “ fact u al fi nd i n g s res u l t i n g

fro m an in v es t i g at i o n m ad e p u rs u an t t o au t h o ri t y g ran t ed b y law” are ad m i s s i b l e i n

ci v i l p ro ceed i n g s

, “ u n l es s t he s o u rces o f in fo rm at i o n o r o t her ci rcu m s t an ces i n d i cat e

a lack o f t ru s t wo rt h i n es s .” In Pro fes s o r Pau l S. M i l i ch ’ s vi ew, “ [t ] h e k i n d o f ag en cy

i n v es t i g at i o n co nt em

p l at ed by t h e ex cep t io n i s o n e wi th a h i g h d eg ree o f co m p et en ce,

fai rn es s, an d co m

p reh en s iv en es s

. Cu rs o ry in v es ti g at i o n s o f a t raffi c acci d en t b y a

p o l i ce o ffi cer, fo r ex am

p l e, d o n o t q u al i fy .” Geo rg i a Ru l es of E v i d en ce, § 19 : 2 2

, 8 3 7

-

8 3 8 (2 0 1 9-2 02 0 ed .). Befo re ad m i t ti n g s u ch a rep o rt

, M il i ch p o s i t s t h at t h e t ri al co u rt

m u st ex am i n e cert ai n fact ors

, s u ch as “ t h e co m p et en ce of th e fact fi n der,” “ wh et h er

t h e s o u r c e s u p o n wh i ch t h e fact fi n d er rel i ed were b i as ed o r h ad an i n t eres t i n t h e

o u t co m e o f t he i n v es t i g at io n ,” an d “ wh et h er t h e s o u rces u s ed i n t he i n v es t i g at i o n

6 As n o t ed p rev i ou s l y

, t h e t ri al co u rt rel i ed on Ir el a n d

, s up ra, to co n cl u d e t h at

t h e ex p ert affi d av i t co n t ai n s s p ecu l at i o n an d co n ject u re; h o wev er, t h at cas e, as

p h y s i cal p reced en t o n l y

, i s no t b i n di n g o n t h i s Co u rt . 3 5 1 Ga. Ap p

. 1 2 4. M o reo v er,

t h e fact s o f t hat cas e are wh o l l y i n ap p o s i te as t h e “ u n d i s pu t ed ” ev i d en ce s h o wed t h at

t h e d eced en t i n t h at cas e at t em p t ed t o cro s s th e h i g h way wh ere t h ere was n o m ark ed

cro s s wal k o r i nt ers ect i on . Id

. at 1 2 8

.

9w e r e b as i n g t hei r i n p u t o n pers o n al k n o wl ed g e.” Id

. at 8 3 8

. A s M i l i ch f u r t h e r

ex p lai n s

, “ [t ] h e Ad v i so ry Co m m i t t ee No t es t o Ru l e 8 0 3 (8 ) st at e t h at ‘ p o l i ce rep o rt s

h av e g en eral l y b een ex cl ud ed ex cep t t o t h e ex ten t t o wh i ch th ey i n co rp orat e fi rs t h an d

o b s erv at i o n s o f t h e offi cer.’ ” Id

. at 8 3 8

, n .8

. W h i l e we q u es t i o n wh et h er th e t ri al co u rt

p ro p erl y rel i ed o n t h e cras h rep o rt i n t h i s cas e, we n eed n o t m ak e t h at d et erm i n at i o n;

p ret e rm i t t i ng t h e ad m i s si b i li ty o f t h e rep o rt

, as we ex p l ai n i n Di v i s i on 2, i n fra, an

i s su e o f fact ex i s t s , p recl u d i n g s u m m ary ju d g m en t i n fav o r o f Th om as

.

2

. Sp i res co nt en d s t h at t h e t ri a l c o u rt erred in g ran t i ng Th o m as ’ m o t i o n fo r

s u m m ary ju d g m en t b ecau s e t h ere i s co n fl i ct i ng ev i den ce as t o Sp i res ’ l ocat i o n at t h e

t i m e o f t h e co l l i si o n. W e ag ree.

“ Qu es t i on s o f n eg l i g en ce, d i li g en ce, co n t ri b u t o ry n eg l i g en ce an d p ro x i m at e

cau s e are p ecu li arl y m at t ers fo r t h e j u ry

, an d a co u rt sh o u l d n o t t ak e t h e p l ace o f t h e

ju ry i n s o l v i ng t hem

, ex cep t i n p l ai n an d i n di s p ut ab l e cas es .” (Ci tat i o n

, p u n ct u at i o n,

an d fo o t n o t e om it t ed .) Ma yo v. Ol d Do mi n i o n Fr ei

g h t Li n e

, 3 0 2 Ga. Ap p

. 19

, 2 1 (6 8 9

SE2 d 8 3 7 ) (2 0 09 ). See al s o La yf i el d , 2 80 Ga. at 8 49 (1 ). In t h i s cas e, “ t h e ev i d en ce

i s no t p l ai n

, p al p ab l e, an d u n d i sp u t ed ; rat h er t h e very q u es ti o n o f w h ere [Sp i res ] was

[wal k i n g ] wh en t h e acci d en t o ccu rred i s d i sp u ted .” Ma yo

, 3 0 2 Ga. A p p

. a t 2 1.

10Pret erm i t t i n g t h e co n t rad i ct or y n a t u re o f Th om as ’ t es ti m o n y

, 7 an d t h e n arrat i v e

co n tai n ed i n t h e cras h rep o rt

, Sp i res t es t i fi ed t hat t he las t t h i ng h e rem em bers b efo re

wak in g u p i n t h e h o s p i t al a f t e r b ei n g s t ru ck b y Th o m as ’ v eh i cl e was t h at h e was

wal k i n g o n t h e s i d e of th e g ras s o f f t h e p a vemen t ; he was n o t wal k i n g i n t h e ro ad way

.

Gi v en t h i s t es t i m on y , t h ere i s an i s s u e o f fact as t o wh ere Sp ires was wal k in g wh en

h e was s tru ck by T h o m as ’ v eh i cl e an d

, t h erefo re, wh et her Th om as l eft h er l an e o f

t rav el an d h i t Sp i res o ff th e ro ad way

. Co m p are Kel l y v. Fa n n

, 3 43 Ga. Ap p

. 3 5 1

, 3 5 4

(8 0 7 SE2 d 9 8 ) (2 0 1 7 ) (affi rm i n g gran t o f s u m m ary j u d gm en t t o d ri ver wh o h i t b u l l

wh ere t h ere was n o evi d

en ce w h at s oev er ab ou t wh ere t h e b u l l w a s o r wh at i t was

d o i n g im m ed i at el y b efo re co ll i s i o n ; n o t i n g t h at “ i f t h e ev id en ce

. . . w ere i n co n fl i ct

ab o ut wh ere t h e b u ll was an d wh at i t was d oi n g at t he t i m e o f th e co l l i s i o n

, s u m m ary

7 “ Th e Pr op h ecy ru l e req u ires t ri al co urt s

, wh en co n s i d eri n g s u m m ary

ju d g m en t m o t i on s, t o (1 ) el i m i n at e al l p o rt i o n s o f a p art y ’ s s el f-co n t rad i ct o ry

t es t i m o ny t h at are fav o rab l e t o

, an d l eft u n ex p l ai n ed b y

, t h at p art y ; an d (2 ) co n s i d er

t h e rem ai n i n g ev i d en ce i n fav o r o f t h e p art y o p p os i n g s u m m ary j u d g m en t .”

Th o mp so n v. Ez o r

, 2 7 2 Ga. 84 9

, 8 5 1 (1 ) (5 3 6 SE2 d 74 9 ) (2 0 0 0 ), ci ti n g Pr o p hecy

Co r p

. v. Ch a r l es Ro s si

g no l

, In c.

, 2 5 6 Ga. 2 7

, 2 8 -3 0 (3 4 3 SE2 d 68 0 ) (1 9 8 6 ). See al s o

Pa t e v. Ga

. S

o u th er n & Fl a

. R. Co

. , 1 9 6 Ga

. A p p

. 2 1 1

, 2 1 3 (2 ) (3 9 5 SE2 d 6 0 4 )

(1 9 9 0) (“ [i ] n a s u m

m ary ju d g m en t cas e, w h ere ei t h er a m o v a nt ’ s o r a res p o n d en t ’ s

ex p lan at i o n fo r a co n trad i ct i o n i n h i s ev i d en ce i s d et erm i n ed t o b e u n reas o n ab l e (o r

n o ex p l an at i o n is p res en t ed at al l ), t h e co urt m u s t el i mi n a t e t he fav o rab l e p o rt i o n s o f

t h e c o n t r a d i c t o ry t es t im o ny a s i t t h en s t an d s

, an d co n s tru e t h e ev i d en ce as t o t h at

i s su e i n fav o r o f t h e o t h er p art y ”) (ci t at i o n an d p u n ct u at i o n om i t t ed ; em p h as i s in

o ri g i nal ).

11ju d g m en t wo u l d n o t b e ap p ro pri at e”); Po l i t z er v. Xi a o

ya n

, 34 2 Ga. Ap p

. 2 2 4

, 2 2 7

-

2 2 8 (2 ) (8 0 1 SE2 d 1 14 ) (2 0 1 7 ) (affi rm i n g g ran t of s u m m ary ju d g m en t t o d ri v er wh ere

ev i d en ce s h owed t hat p ed es t ri an cro ss ed a m ajo r ro ad w ay at n i g h t o u t s i d e o f an

av ai l ab l e cro s s -wal k ); Mo o r e v. Ca ma r a

, 3 1 7 Ga. Ap p

. 6 5 1

, 6 5 3 (7 3 2 SE2 d 3 1 9 )

(2 0 1 2) (affi rm in g g ran t o f s u m m ary ju d g m en t t o d ri v er wh ere ev id en ce sh o wed t h at

p ed es t ri an was at t em

p ti n g t o cro s s h i g h w ay wh en h e w as s tru ck ). A cco rd i n g l y

, we

co n cl u d e t h at t h e t ri al co u rt erred i n g ran t in g s u m m ary ju d g m en t t o Th o m as

.

3

. Ci t i n g F

o u n t a i n v. Th o mp s o n , 2 5 2 Ga. 2 5 6 (3 1 2 SE2 d 7 8 8 ) (1 9 8 4 ), Sp i res

co n ten d s t h at s u m

m ary ju d g m en t was im

pro p er ev en i f h e h ad b e e n wal k i n g i n t h e

ro ad

. W hi l e we n eed n o t ad d res s t h i s co n t en t i on g i v en o u r h o l d in g i n Di v i s i o n 2

, we

n o n et h el es s co n cl u d e t h at t he ex p ert ’ s affi d av i t creat es an is su e o f fact as t o wh et h er

Th o m as co u l d h av e s een S p i r e s i f h e w as wal k i n g i n th e ro ad an d s t o p p ed b efo re

s t ri k i n g h i m wi t h h er v eh i cl e. See i d

. at 2 5 7 (wh ere a c ci d en t o ccu rred i n a s t rai g h t

,

cl ear an d o b s t ru ct ed s ect i o n o f h i g h way

, i s s u e o f fact rem ai n ed as t o wh et her d ri v er

s h o u ld h av e s een d eceas ed

, wh o was l y i ng d ru n k i n t h e ro ad , b efo re s t ri k i n g h i m ).

Ju d g men t r ever

sed

. Rees e, J., co ncu r

s

. Do yl e, P. J., co n cu r

s i n j u d g men t o n l y.

12