Opinion ID: 1655462
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: Guest Statute Defense

Text: Barger's next contention is that the trial court erred in ruling as a matter of law that Cox's operation of the vehicle in question did not constitute willful and wanton misconduct. SDCL 32-34-1 provided: No person transported by the owner or operator of a motor vehicle as his guest without compensation for such transportation shall have cause of action for damages against such owner or operator for injury, death, or loss, in case of accident, unless such accident shall have been caused by the willful and wanton misconduct of the owner or operator of such motor vehicle, and unless such willful and wanton misconduct contributed to the injury, death, or loss for which the action is brought. To exclude a passenger from the operation of the guest statute (1) [t]he driver must receive some benefit from transportation, either alone or in common with his rider and such benefit must be sufficiently real, tangible, and substantial to serve as an inducing cause of the transportation so as to operate to completely overshadow any considerations of mere hospitality growing out of the friendship or relationship, or (2) the accident or injury must have been caused by the willful or wanton misconduct of the owner or operator of the vehicle. Tranby v. Brodock, 348 N.W.2d 458, 460 (S.D.1984), citing Lukens v. Zavadil, 281 N.W.2d 78 (S.D.1979). The parties do not take issue with the fact that Wares was a guest in the vehicle. Accordingly, we need determine only whether Cox was guilty of willful and wanton misconduct. As we stated in Tranby, supra, at 461: Willful and wanton misconduct means something more than negligence. It describes conduct which transcends negligence and is different in kind and characteristics. It is conduct which partakes to some appreciable extent, though not entirely, of the nature of a deliberate and intentional wrong. There must be facts that would show that defendant intentionally did something in the operation of the motor vehicle which he should not have done or intentionally failed to do something which he should have done under the circumstances that it can be said that he consciously realized that his conduct would in all probability, as distinguished from possibility, produce the precise result which it did produce and would bring harm to plaintiff. Willful and wanton misconduct demonstrates an affirmative, reckless state of mind or deliberate recklessness on the part of the defendant.... Brewer v. Mattern, 85 S.D. 356, 182 N.W.2d 327 (1970)[.] The record is clear that there are no facts that would support a finding that Cox was guilty of willful and wanton misconduct. Cox was not on an aimless joy ride for thrills and excitement. Rather, he made the trip to take an injured friend to a hospital, losing his own life in attempting to accomplish this mission of mercy. Although Cox had been warned to watch out for Deadman's Curve, the record indicates that none of the occupants complained that he was driving too fast or recklessly. Indeed, Hyde and Lipp complimented him on his driving. Wares himself implored Cox to drive faster. Although Cox had been drinking beer and smoking marijuana, Hyde, the only witness who testified to his condition, stated that Cox appeared to be sober. On the basis of these facts, then, which are far less aggravated than those in Tranby, supra, in which we held that the cause of action was barred by the guest statute, we hold that the trial court properly granted summary judgment on this issue.