THI RD DI VI SI ON

ELLI NGTON, P. J.

, A NDREWS and RI CKM A N, 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.

http://w w w .ga a ppe a l s .us /r ule s

October 4, 2017



# I n th e Co u r t o f

A p p eals o f

G eo r g ia

A1 7 A1 77 1 . W A TSON USED CARS, LLC v . KIRKLAND et al

.

A N D R E W S , J u d g e.

Bak er C ounty S he r if

f ’ s D e puty Ja m e s T odd K irk l an d an d h i s wi fe (co l l ect i v el y

,

“ Ki rk l an d ”) s u ed W at son U s e d C a r s, L L C (“ W at s o n”) to reco ver fo r i n ju ri es Ki rk l an d

s u s t ai n ed i n an au t o m o b il e co l l i s i o n wh i l e on d u t y

, al le g i n g t h a t t h e wreck was

cau s ed b y g ras s cl i p pi n g s W at s o n n eg l i gen t l y l eft o n t h e h ig h way

. W at so n m o v ed fo r

s u m m ary ju d g m en t

, arg u in g t hat t h e Fi r em an ’ s Ru l e b arred s u it

. Th e t ri al co u rt

d en ied t he m o t io n

, an d we g ran t ed W at s o n ’ s ap p l i cat i o n fo r i n t erl o cu t o ry ap p eal

. Fo r

reas on s t h at fo l l o w, we rev ers e.

Su m m ary ju d g m en t i s p ro p er wh en n o g en u i n e i ss u es o f m at eri al fact rem ai n

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

rev i ew a t ri al co urt ’ s s u m m ary ju d g m en t ru l in g d e n o v o

, co n s t ru i n g t h e ev i d en ce int h e l i g h t m o s t fav o rab l e t o th e n o n m o v an t

. Ho me Bu i ld er s As s n

. o f S ava n n a h v.

Ch a t ha m Co u n ty , 2 7 6 Ga. 2 4 3 , 2 4 5 (1 ) (5 7 7 SE2 d 5 6 4 ) (2 0 0 3 ).

So v i ewed

, t he reco rd s h o ws t h at o n J u l y 1 2

, 2 0 1 3

, an em pl o y ee o f W at s o n,

wh i ch i s l o cat ed o n Hi g h w ay 2 5 3

, m o wed t h e g ras s an d b l ew g ras s cl i p p i n g s o n t o t h e

h i g h way

. Fo r p u rp o s es o f t h i s ap p eal , W at s o n co n ced es t hat th i s act was n eg l i g en t

.

Lat er t h at s am e d ay

, Ro b ert Ly n ch was t rav el i n g o n Hi g h way 25 3 o n hi s way h o m e

fro m wo rk wh en it s t art ed rai n in g

. As Ly n ch d ro v e o v er t h e wet gras s cl i pp i n g s

, h i s

v eh icl e lo s t tract i on

, s li d o ff th e ro ad way t o t h e ri g ht

, fl i p p ed o v er, an d cam e t o res t

u p ri g h t i n a fi el d . Ly

n ch cal l ed 9 1 1 an d rep o rt ed t h e wreck

.

Th e cal l d es cri b ed an o vert urn ed v eh i cl e wi t h i nju ri es

, b u t d i d n o t m en t i o n

g ras s cl i p p i n g s

. K i rk l an d an d an o t h er Sh eri ff’ s d ep u t y

, Ro b ert Sn i d er, res p o n d ed in

s ep arat e v eh i cl es wi t h t h ei r l i gh t s an d s i ren s on

, t rav el i n g t o t he s cen e at s p eed s

n eari n g 10 0 m il es p er h o u r. As t h ey ap p ro ach ed t h e s cen e, K i rk l an d s l o wed t o 6 5 to

7 0 m i l es p er h o u r, an d h e t o o k o ff h i s s eat b el t s o h e co u l d ex i t h i s v eh i cl e q u i ck l y

.

Sn i d er s l o wed fu rt h er wh en he s aw Ly n ch ’ s car, an d K i rk lan d b rak ed b eh i n d h i m

,

en co un t eri n g t h e g ras s cl i pp i n g s o n t he h i g h way as h e brak ed

. Ki rk lan d ’ s v eh i cl e s l id

t o t he l eft an d w en t o ff th e ro ad way

, s t ri ki n g a t ree. Ki rk l an d s us t ai n ed s eri ou s

2i n

ju ri es in th e co l l i s i on an d h as b een o n di s ab il i t y l e a v e, recei v i ng wo rk ers ’

co m p en s at i o n b en efi t s , s i n ce t h en

.

A s t at e t ro o per i n v es t i gat ed b o t h wreck s

. I t is u n d i s p u t ed th at t h e g ras s

cl i p p i n g s i n t h e ro ad way cau s ed Ly n ch ’ s wreck

, an d t h e ev i d en c e

, w h en v i ewed in

t h e l i g h t m o s t fav orab l e t o Ki rk l an d

, s h o ws t h at t he s am e w et g ras s cl i pp i n g s cau s ed

Ki rk l an d t o l os e co n tro l o f h i s v eh i cl e.

Ki rk l an d s u b s eq u en t ly

s u ed W at so n fo r n eg l i g en ce. Aft er W at s o n m o v ed fo r

s u m m ary ju d g m en t

, Ki rk l an d am en d ed h is co m p l ai n t t o s eek p u n i t i v e d am ag es

,

al l eg in g t h at W at s o n’ s act i o n s co n s t i t u t ed wi l l fu l m i s co n d u ct

. Th e t ri al co u rt d en i ed

W at s o n ’ s s u m

m ary ju d g m en t m o t i o n, b u t i s s u ed a c e r t i f i cat e o f im

m ed i at e rev i ew,

an d we g ran t ed W at so n ’ s ap p l i cat i o n fo r i n t erl o cu to ry ap p eal

.

W at s o n arg u es t h at t h e Fi rem an ’ s Ru l e b ars reco v ery i n t h i s cas e. Un d er t h at

ru l e, p u b l i c s afet y o ffi cers “ are p recl u d ed fro m reco v ery fo r i n ju ri es recei v ed wh en

t h ey are in

ju red as a res u l t o f t h e n eg li g en ce t h at cau s ed t h em t o b e cal l ed t o t h e

s cen e.” Ma r t i n v. Ga i t h er

, 2 1 9 Ga. Ap p

. 6 46

, 65 1 ( 4 6 6 SE2 d 6 2 1 ) (1 9 9 5 ). “ Th e

rel ev an t i n q u i ry i s wh et h er t h e n eg l i g en t l y creat ed ri s k wh i ch res u l t ed i n t h e

. . .

i n ju ry was th e v ery reas o n fo r [t h e offi cer’ s ] p res en ce o n t h e s cen e i n h i s p ro fes s i o n al

3cap aci t y

. If t h e an s wer i s y es

, t h en reco v ery is b arred ; i f n o

, reco v ery m ay b e h ad .”

Byco m Co rp . v. W

h i t e , 1 8 7 Ga. Ap p . 7 5 9 , 7 6 2 (3 7 1 SE2 d 2 3 3 ) (1 9 8 8 ).

In d en y i n g s u m

m ary ju d g m en t, t h e t ri al co u rt fo u n d t h at t h e Fi rem an ’ s Ru l e d id

n o t ap p ly b ecau s e t h e wet g ras s cl i p p in g s were an “ ex t ri n s i c act ot h er t h an th e i n i t i al

reas on fo r Dep ut y Ki rk l an d ’ s p res en ce.” Acco rd i n g to t he tri al co urt

, “ i t was n o t t h e

g ras s , b u t Ly

nch ’ s n eed fo r h el p t h at b ro ug h t ” Ki rk l an d t o t h e s cen e. Th i s an al y s i s

,

h o wev er, o v erl o o k s t h e ev i d en ce th at b o t h wreck s were ca u s ed b y th e s am e g ras s

cl i p p i n g s

. In d eed

, t he o n ly act o f n eg l ig en ce al l eg ed i n Ki rk l an d ’ s co m p l ai n t i s

W at s o n ’ s d ep o s it i n g o f g ras s cl i p p i n gs o n t h e h i g h way

. 1 Th ere i s n o “ ex t ri n s i c act ”

o f n eg l i gen ce i n t h i s cas e. Rat h er, Ki rk l an d w as i n ju red as a res u l t of t h e s am e

n eg li g en ce (wet g ras s cl ip p i n g s o n t h e ro ad way ) t h at cau s ed Ly n ch to l o s e co n t ro l o f

h i s car an d n eces s i t at ed Ki rk l an d ’ s p res en ce on t h e s cen e. See Byco m Co r p

, 1 8 7 Ga.

Ap p

. at 7 6 2 (“ [A] p u b l i c s afet y em p l oy ee can no t reco v er fo r i n ju ri es cau s ed b y t h e

v ery n eg l i g en ce t h at i n i t i al ly req u i red h i s p res en ce i n an o ffi ci al cap aci t y an d

s u b ject ed t h e p u b l i c s afet y em p l o y ee t o h arm .”); In g r a m v. Pea ch t r ee S o u th

, Lt d

. , 1 8 2

1 In co n t ras t, i n t h e cas e u p o n wh i ch t h e t ri al co u rt rel ied

, n o “ act o r o m i s s i o n ”

o n t h e d e f

e n d an t ’ s p art “ req u i red o r p ro m p ted ” t h e o ffi cer “ t o b e o u t i n t h e s t reet

fu l fi l l i n g h i s d u t y [.] ” Ga i th er v. Met r o

. At l a n t a Ra pi d T r a n s i t Au th

. , 2 3 5 Ga. Ap p.

6 0 3 , 6 0 5 (5 1 0 SE2 d 34 2 ) (1 9 9 8 ).

4Ga. Ap p

. 3 6 7

, 36 8 (3 5 5 SE2 d 7 1 7 ) (1 9 8 7 ) (“ o n e can n o t co m p l ai n o f n eg l i g en ce i n t h e

creat i o n o f t h e v ery o ccas i o n fo r h i s en gag em en t ”) (p u n ct uat i o n o m i t t ed ).

A lte r na tive ly

, the t

r ia l c our t co n cl u d ed t h at Ki rk l an d ’ s l ack of k no wl ed g e ab out

t h e g ras s cl i p p i n g s creat ed a fact u al q ues t i o n “ as t o wh et h er t he accu m u lat i o n o f wet

g ras s i n t h e ro ad was an un k n o wn p i t fal l o r m an t ra p

. ” I t i s t r ue th at p u b l i c s afet y

o ffi cers “ are n o t p recl u ded fro m reco v ery fo r i n j u ry fro m p i t fal l s

, m an t rap s an d t h i ng s

o f t h at k i n d o r wan t o n an d wi l fu l co n d uct .” Ma r t i n

, 21 9 Ga. Ap p

. a t 6 5 1

. Th e

d o ct ri n e o f m an t rap o r pi t fal l

, h owev er, res t s “ u p o n t h e t h eo ry t hat [a p ro p ert y ] o wn er

i s ex p ect i n g a t r e s p a s s er o r a l i cen s ee an d h as p rep ared t h e p rem i s es t o d o h i m

i n ju ry .” F r an k Ma yes & As s ocs

. v. Ma s s o o d

, 2 3 8 Ga. A p p

. 41 6

, 4 1 8 -1 9 (2 ) (5 1 8 SE2 d

9 0 3 ) (1 9 9 9 ) (p u nct u at io n o m i t t ed ). See al so S cu l l y v. Bd

. o f Reg en t s o f Un iv. S ys

. of

Ga

. , 3 32 G a

. Ap p

. 8 7 3

, 87 8 (2 ) n .6 (7 7 5 SE2 d 23 0 ) (2 0 1 5) (“ M an t rap s are

d el i b erat el y s et t rap s o r p eri l s h i d d en b y t h e own er wi t h t h e i n t en t t o cau s e i n ju ry .”).

Th ere i s n o ev i d en ce t h at W at s o n o r i t s em pl o y ee d el i b erat el y d ep o s i t e d th e g ras s

cl i p p i n g s o n t h e h i g h way wi t h t h e i n t en t t o cau s e i n ju ry

.

W e s i m i l arl y fi n d n o m eri t i n Ki rk l an d ’ s cl ai m th at W at s o n act ed wi lfu l l y an d

wan to n l y b y d el i b e r a te ly blow ing gr a s s c lip p i n g s o n t o t h e ro ad way

, t h ereb y rem o v i n g

t h i s cas e fro m t h e Fi rem an ’ s Ru l e. To es t ab li s h wi l fu l an d wan t o n co n d u ct

, a cl ai m an t

5m

u st d em o n s t rat e t h at th e d efen d an t en g ag ed i n “ co nd u ct s uch as t o ev i den ce a wi lfu l

i n t en t i o n t o i n fl i ct t he i n

ju ry

, o r el s e was so reck l es s o r s o ch arg ed wi t h i n d i fferen ce

t o t h e co n s eq u en ces as t o j u s t i fy t h e ju ry i n fi n di n g a w an t o n n es s eq u i v al en t i n s p i ri t

t o a c t u a l i n t en t

. ” Ma r t i n

, 2 1 9 Ga. Ap p. at 6 5 2 (p u nct u at i o n o m i t t ed ). Ul ti m at el y

,

“ [t ] h ere i s an el em en t o f i n t en t

, a c t u a l o r i m p u t ed

, i n wi l fu l an d wan t o n co n d u ct

wh i ch rem o v es s u ch co n d uct f r o m t h e ran g e o f co nd u ct wh i ch m ay b e t erm ed

n eg li g en t .” Id . (p u n ct u at i o n o m i t t ed ).

Des p i t e Ki rk l an d ’ s cl ai m t o t h e co n t rary

, t h e reco rd co n tai n s n o ev id en ce t h at

an y o n e

– m

u ch l es s W at s o n

– u n d ers t o o d t he h azard p o s ed b y g ras s cl i p p i n g s o n t h e

h i g h way befo re t h es e wreck s o ccu rr e d. K i r kla n d a nd a n o t h er o ffi cer t es t i fi ed t h at t h ey

d i d n o t co n s i d er g ras s cl i p p i n g s o n t h e ro ad way dan g ero u s p ri o r t o t h e wreck s

. An d

Ki rk l an d ’ s ex p ert co n ced ed t h at h e h ad nev er p rev i o u s l y i n v es t i g at ed an au t o m o b i l e

co l l i s i o n wh ere g ras s cl i pp i n g s were a co nt ri b u t i ng fact o r. Si m p l y pu t

, t h e ev i d en ce

d o es no t s u p p o rt t he co ncl u s i o n t h at W at so n i n t en d ed t o i n f l i c t i n ju ry o r was s o

i n d i fferen t t o t he co n s eq u en ces as t o i m pu t e i n t en t h ere. See Ga d d v. W a rwi ck

, 3 3 9

Ga. Ap p

. 8 0 2

, 8 0 4 -8 06 (1 ) (b ) (7 92 SE2 d 7 7 3 ) (2 01 6 ) (h o rs e o w n er en t i t l ed to

s u m m ary ju d g m en t o n cl ai m th at d efen dan t wi l fu l l y an d wan t o n l y l eas ed u n s u i t ab l e

6h o rs e t o s u m m er cam p

, res u l t i ng i n in

ju ry to co u n sel o r, wh ere reco rd co nt ai n ed n o

ad m i s s i b l e ev i d en ce o f p ri o r d an g ero us i n ci d en t s i nv o l v i n g t h e h o rs e).

G i v e n t h e e v i d en ce p res en t ed

, t h e t ri al co u rt erred i n refu s i n g t o ap p l y t h e

Fi rem an ’ s Ru l e t o Ki rk l an d ’ s cl ai m s

. Acco rd in g l y

, we rev ers e t h e d en i al o f s u m m ary

ju d g m en t

. See Ka

p h er r v. MFG Ch em., In c.

, 2 7 7 Ga. Ap p

. 1 1 2

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

(2 0 0 5) (Fi rem an ’ s Ru l e ap p l ied t o em erg en cy m ed ical t ech n i c i a n wh ere “ t h e fact s

al l eg ed in t h e co m

p l ai n t s h o w[ e d ] t h at [t he p l ai n t i ff] was i nju red as a res u l t o f t h e

n eg l i g en ce (acci d en t al rel eas e o f t o x ic fu m es ) t h at n eces s i t at ed h er p res en ce at t h e

s cen e”); Ma r t in

, 2 1 9 Ga. Ap p

. at 6 5 1 (p o l i ce o ffi cer st ru ck b y a b u s aft er s t ep p i n g

i n t o s t reet t o i n s tru ct i l leg al l y p ark ed m ot o ri s t t o m o v e car co u l d n o t reco ver ag ai n s t

m o to r i s t ); B

yco m Co r p

. , 18 7 Ga. Ap p

. at 7 6 2 (fi rem an i n j u red d uri n g n at u ral g as

ex p lo s i o n b arred fro m reco v eri ng on c la im tha t c or por a tion ne glige n tl y cau s ed n at u ral

g as pi p el i n e t o ru p t u re). Co m p are Ga i t h er

, 23 5 Ga. Ap p. at 60 4 (Fi rem an ’ s Ru l e d o es

n o t ap p l y t o “ t h e s u b s eq u en t n eg l i g en t act s o f a p art y ot her th an t h e p a r t y wh o s e

i n i t i al neg l i g en ce o ccas i o n ed t h e en g ag em en t of t h e p o l i ce o ffi cer i n t h e p l ace wh ere

h e was i n ju red ”).

Ju d g men t r ever

s ed

. El l i n g t o n

, P. J., a n d Ri ckma n

, J., co n cu r i n j u d g men t o n l y

.

7