Opinion ID: 1778032
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 3

Heading: Testimony Concerning the Accident Report

Text: The final issue to be addressed is whether the trial court in permitting cross-examination of state trooper Steve Silveira concerning matters contained in his accident investigation report, committed reversible error. The automobile accident report of an investigating officer is not admissible into evidence because it does not come under the business records exception to the hearsay rule. Vest v. Gay, 275 Ala. 286, 154 So.2d 297 (1963); Gamble, McElroy's Alabama Evidence, § 254.01(8) (3d Ed. 1977). The record in this case discloses that appellant's attorney asked the witness several questions regarding a diagram drawn by him and included in his accident report. The same diagram was admitted into evidence at the trial as plaintiff's exhibit # 19. Since appellant initially introduced this portion of trooper Silveira's report, counsel for appellee was entitled and justified, by virtue of the doctrine of curative admissibility, to cross-examine trooper Silveira about matters relevant to the diagram portion of his accident report. See Nellis v. Allen, 268 Ala. 259, 261, 105 So.2d 659 (1958); Wilkinson v. Duncan, 294 Ala. 509, 512, 319 So.2d 253 (1975); Kroger Company v. Puckett, 351 So.2d 582, 588 (Ala.Civ.App. 1977); See generally Gamble, McElroy's Alabama Evidence § 15.01 (3d Ed. 1977). The rule of curative admissibility is nonetheless applicable even though appellee failed to object to the appellant's initial questioning of the trooper and the introduction of the accident diagram. See Cunningham v. Lowery, 45 Ala.App. 700, 236 So.2d 709 (1970); Gamble, McElroy's Alabama Evidence, § 14.01 (3d Ed. 1977). For the reasons stated above, we affirm the judgment of the trial court. AFFIRMED. TORBERT, C. J., and JONES, SHORES and BEATTY, JJ., concur.