Opinion ID: 1303107
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 3

Heading: When Does An Issue of Fact Arise?

Text: 3. This opinion reverses the trial court's denial of Officer Logue's motion for summary judgment. However, in Martin v. Ga. Dept. of Public Safety, 257 Ga. 300, 303-04 (357 SE2d 569) (1987), this Court refused to uphold the trial court's grant of summary judgment to a police officer who was answering a bona fide emergency call when he lost control of his car and crashed into another vehicle. The Court stated that OCGA § 40-6-6 (d) requires officers to `drive with due regard for the safety of all persons[,]' id. at 303-04. Officer Logue was not answering a bona fide emergency call when he crashed into Ms. Wright. This is not the result the General Assembly intended when OCGA § 40-6-6 was drafted. In construing OCGA § 40-6-6, the Court of Appeals in Archer v. Johnson, 90 Ga. App. 418, 422 (83 SE2d 314) (1954) states: This Code section is but a modern expression of the doctrine... that arresting officers ... have a broad scope of authority and freedom of action while in the performance of their very responsible functions. We now refer to another doctrine of our law. That doctrine is that the protection of the person and property of the citizen is the paramount purpose of government. Protection to person and property is the paramount duty of government and shall be impartial and complete. Constitution of the State of Georgia of [1983, Art. I, Sec. I, Par. II]. In this momentous declaration of our bill of rights is laid the cornerstone of the Commonwealth itself. The right to use the public thoroughfares with reasonable safety is an important liberty to be enjoyed by the citizen. The protection of his person and automobile while exercising this privilege against anyone, even an officer of the law who fails to use reasonable care is guaranteed to him by this constitutional provision. ... The legislature intended by the act to do two things: first, to give drivers of certain authorized emergency vehicles the right to travel when occasion required it at a speed in excess of the limit fixed by the statute applicable to motor vehicles generally; secondly, to protect the public on highways, and even those riding in the vehicles thus favored, from reckless disregard of their safety by drivers of these privileged vehicles. ... It is desirable that the ambulance reach the stricken patient, that the fire engine proceed to and quench the fire, that the officer overtake and apprehend the criminal, but it is equally as important that innocent persons, whether or not connected with the emergency to be met, not be maimed or killed in the operation. The statute was designed to give emergency vehicle drivers privileges when answering emergency calls, but it was also designed to protect the citizens of this state in the exercise of their rights to reasonable safety while traveling on the roads. The officer in this nonemergency situation knowingly ignored the law and caused a citizen personal injury and property damage that now she alone will have to bear. The majority of this Court had decided that Officer Logue was merely negligently performing his duty. This decision has denied Ms. Wright her right to have a jury decide questions of fact; a role that is properly reserved for juries in our system of justice. Summary judgment was not appropriate in Crews v. McQueen, 192 Ga. App. 560 (385 SE2d 712) (1989) because a question of fact remained; likewise, summary judgment is not appropriate in this case. The question of fact in Crews was whether or not the principal was acting within the exercise of sound discretion as required by OCGA § 20-2-731. Questions of fact remain here also. Some of the questions, a jury, not this Court, should decide are as follows: 1) Were Officer Logue's acts discretionary or ministerial? 2) If the acts were discretionary, was Officer Logue acting within the exercise of sound discretion as required by OCGA § 40-6-6 (d)? 3) If the acts were discretionary, did Officer Logue exceed the scope of his authority? 4) If the acts were discretionary, did Officer Logue's failure to yield the right-of-way and failure to use his lights and siren in a non-emergency situation rise to the level of reckless disregard for the safety of others?