Case Name: Elton COWART, Appellant, v. Colleen BARNES and United Services Automobile Association, Appellees
Court: Florida District Court of Appeal
Jurisdiction: Florida
Decision Date: 1979-05-02
Citations: 370 So. 2d 103
Docket Number: No. KK-87
Parties: Elton COWART, Appellant, v. Colleen BARNES and United Services Automobile Association, Appellees.
Judges: SMITH, LARRY G., J., concurs.
Reporter: Southern Reporter, Second Series
Volume: 370
Pages: 103–105

Head Matter:
Elton COWART, Appellant, v. Colleen BARNES and United Services Automobile Association, Appellees.
No. KK-87.
District Court of Appeal of Florida, First District.
May 2, 1979.
Rehearing Denied May 21, 1979.
David R. Lewis of Lewis, Paul, Isaac & Castillo, Jacksonville, for appellant.
John N. Bryant and Carl K. Staas of Boyd, Jenerette, Leemis & Staas, Jacksonville, for appellees.

Opinion:
MILLS, Acting Chief Judge.
Appellant (Cowart) seeks reversal of a judgment entered in favor of appellee (Barnes) following a jury trial in an automobile personal injury case.
Cowart contends the trial court erred in denying his motion for a directed verdict on liability. We agree and reverse.
Cowart testified that he stopped his automobile for a red light and was struck from the rear by Barnes' automobile.
Barnes testified that Cowart stopped on the caution light; that she thought he would run the caution light and that was her intention too; that when the Cowart automobile stopped sharply, she rear-ended his auto. Barnes was charged with and pled guilty to careless driving.
At the close of all the evidence, the court denied Cowart's motion for a directed verdict.
A rear-end automobile collision raises a presumption of negligence on the part of the following automobile if the lead vehicle is in its proper place on the highway. McNulty v. Cusack, 104 So.2d 785 (Fla.3d DCA 1958). This presumption of negligence is a rebuttable presumption. Gulle v. Boggs, 174 So.2d 26 (Fla.1965).
Under the facts of this case the presumption of negligence was not rebutted by Barnes and the court should have directed a verdict on liability for Cowart. Brethauer v. Brassell, 347 So.2d 656 (Fla.4th DCA 1977); Kimenker v. Greater Miami Car Rental, 115 So.2d 191 (Fla.3d DCA 1959).
We reverse the judgment and remand to the trial court with instructions to enter judgment on liability for Cowart and to grant a new trial to Cowart limited to the issue of his damages.
Petition for rehearing, if filed, shall be filed within 10 days from the date hereof.
SMITH, LARRY G., J., concurs.
BOOTH, J., dissents.