Opinion ID: 1605156
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: liability of larry brooks

Text: The evidence and testimony in this case is undisputed that the Nova vehicle driven by Larry Brooks suddenly veered across the center line into the northbound lane of traffic and collided head on with the United Parcel van driven by the plaintiff Nichols. Brooks does not question his liability in his brief, but does contend that the trial court erred in failing to grant him a mistrial following alleged prejudicial comments by the court while he was being cross-examined. The brief charges that every party in the case, with the exception of Anderson, sought to blame the accident entirely on him. The brief points out that Brooks was questioned and requestioned about incidental details, distances, times, places, etc. An objection was interposed by plaintiff's counsel to the questioning suggesting that such repetitious questioning had no probative value. Whereupon, the trial judge, referring to Brooks' testimony, stated that the court did not blame counsel for Brooks' response, because the more we ask these questions, the different answers we are getting, and we're getting nowhere with them. We have carefully considered this assignment of error and are of the opinion that when the statement is taken in the context of all of the preceding questioning and the fact that Brooks' negligence was proven overwhelmingly, that although it was unfortunate the comment was made, it does not constitute reversible error. With or without the trial court's comment, the plaintiff was entitled to a peremptory instruction against Brooks on the evidence in this record. AFFIRMED AS TO THE LIABILITY OF LARRY BROOKS. PATTERSON, C.J., SUGG and SMITH, P.JJ., and BROOM, ROY NOBLE LEE, BOWLING, HAWKINS and DAN M. LEE, JJ., concur.