Opinion ID: 1787590
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: Did the court err in refusing appellant's request for a peremptory instruction, and, in the alternative, was the verdict of the jury contrary to the overwhelming weight of the evidence?

Text: Appellant contends that his conviction is based upon (1) the apparent intoxication of appellant, (2) the accident apparently occurred in the deceased's lane of travel, and (3) the appellant did not have a valid driver's license at the time of the collision. He argues that there is no proof in the record that the alleged intoxication of appellant had any causal connection to the collision. He relies upon Cutshall v. State, 191 Miss. 764, 4 So.2d 289 (1941). However, the State's proof indicated that the collision occurred head-on between the vehicles in the northbound lane, which was the opposite lane of travel for appellant. The jury accepted that version of the case, and could reasonably believe that appellant's vehicle traveled south in the northbound lane as a result of his intoxication. In passing upon the request for a peremptory instruction, all evidence favorable to the State must be assumed as true, together with reasonable inferences that may be drawn from same, and, if there is enough in the record to support a verdict, the request for peremptory instruction should be overruled. Warn v. State, 349 So.2d 1055 (Miss. 1977). Applying this rule, we are of the opinion that the evidence for the State is sufficient to support a verdict of guilty. Likewise, the verdict is not against the overwhelming weight of the evidence.