Opinion ID: 397876
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: Statements of Facts.

Text: 3 Richards was proceeding north on the north-bound access road to Interstate Highway 10 (I.H. 10). The Southern Pacific train, consisting of three engines and seven loaded air dump cars, was transporting rock products from a McDonough Brothers gravel pit on the west side of the highway to a McDonough Brothers plant north-east of the highway. The record indicates that the tracks on which the train was operating cross the access road from under the highway to the west of the access road and then turn north on the east side of the access road. At the time of the collision, the second air dump car of the train was upon the highway; the three engines, which were leading the loaded air dump cars, were rounding the curve to the east of the access road and were headed the same general direction in which Richards was traveling. Richards' car struck the second air dump car of the train. 4 The trial court found that the train's only lights and warning signals were on the engines, which were approximately 210 feet beyond the scene of the collision, and that there were no flares on the roadway. The record further indicates that along the highway access road there were the following warning devices: (1) a black and yellow advance warning sign, facing northbound traffic, approximately 400 feet south of the crossing; (2) a fifty-two foot warning sign, painted on the surface of the access road, approximately 270 feet south of the crossing; and (3) standard reflectorized railroad crosstrack signs, facing oncoming traffic, just before the crossing. There was no form of artificial illumination at the crossing. 5 The trial court, in a non-jury trial, entered a judgment for Linda Richards in the amount of $180,000 and for Dorothy Richards in the amount of $30,000 on the basis of the following findings of fact: 6 (1) The railroad crossing involved was an extrahazardous one. 7 (2) Immediately prior to the accident made the basis of this suit, defendant's employees failed to place flares on the I.H. 10 access road to warn oncoming traffic of the presence of a train across the highway. 8 (3) The failure of the defendant's employees to place flares on the roadway constitutes negligence for which the defendant is legally responsible. 9 (4) The negligence of defendant's employees in failing to place flares upon the roadway was a direct and proximate cause of the accident made the basis of this suit. 10 (5) On the occasion in question, the decedent was a proximate cause of the accident and of his death. 11 (6) The negligence of the decedent was a proximate cause of the accident and of his death. 12 (7) As a direct and proximate result of the death of Owen Clifford Richards, plaintiffs have sustained the following damages: 13 (a) Lynda Richards, for the care, maintenance, support, services, advice, counsel and contributions of a pecuniary value that she would have received from her husband during her lifetime had he lived-$300,000. 14 (b) Dorothy Richards, for the kindness, services, comfort, and attention that in reasonable probability she would have received from her son during her lifetime-$50,000. 15 (8) The percentage of the negligence that caused the occurrence to be attributable to each found to be negligent is: 16 (a) The defendant 60% 17 (b) The decedent 40% 18 Although the trial court's findings do not state the basis on which it found Richards contributorily negligent, there was evidence in the record that Richards had been drinking, that he may have been driving at a speed greater than the posted speed limit, and that, because of his position as McDonough Brothers' liaison with Southern Pacific, he was well aware that the train would be operating at the crossing on the night of the collision. 19