Opinion ID: 2196733
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 22

Heading: violation of a statute

Text: Grevlos requested two instructions concerning the duty to have a light on a bicycle. Sommervold did not have a light on his bicycle. The collision occurred more than one half hour after sunset, which was at 9:10 p.m., some time between 9:50 p.m. and 10:05 p.m. Sommervold was cited for not having a light and pled guilty to violation of a Sioux Falls city ordinance. Grevlos' first proposed instruction read as follows: Ordinance of the City of Sioux Falls provides in part: Every bicycle driven upon any street, recreation trail or sidewalk during the period from a half-hour after sunset to a half-hour before sunrise and at any other time when there is not sufficient light to render clearly discernible any person at a distance of five hundred feet ahead, shall be equipped with a lighted front lamp exhibiting a white light visible from a distance of at least five hundred (500) feet to the front... This ordinance sets the standard of care of the ordinarily careful and prudent person. You are hereby instructed that Plaintiff Jon Sommervold violated it and that such violation is negligence. Whether or not this negligence was a proximate cause of the collision and any ensuing damages is for you to determine. Grevlos' second proposed instruction read as follows: A statute in South Dakota provides in part: Every bicycle shall be equipped with a lighted lamp on the front thereof visible under normal atmospheric conditions from a distance of at least three hundred feet in front of such bicycle ... This statute sets the standard of care of the ordinarily careful and prudent person. If you find plaintiff violated it, such violation is negligence. The court gave the following as Instruction Number 21: An ordinance of the City of Sioux Falls provides in part: Every bicycle driven upon any street, recreation trail or sidewalk during the period from a half-hour after sunset to a half-hour before sunrise and at any other time when there is not sufficient light to render clearly discernible any person at a distance of five hundred feet ahead, shall be equipped with a lighted front lamp exhibiting a white light visible from a distance of at least five hundred (500) feet to the front... This ordinance sets the standard of care of the ordinarily careful and prudent person. If you find a party violated it, such violation is negligence. Grevlos' first proposed instruction was not a correct statement of the law. A guilty plea does not conclusively establish the violation but is an admission against interest. Dartt v. Berghorst, 484 N.W.2d 891, 894 n. 3 (S.D. 1992). Grevlos' second proposed instruction was in conflict with Grevlos' first proposed instruction and in conflict with and cumulative to the trial court's Instruction Number 21. Conflicting instructions should not be given. Juniata Feedyards v. Nuss, 216 Neb. 29, 342 N.W.2d 1, 4 (1983). Cumulative instructions are properly refused. Builders Supply Co., Inc. v. Carr, 276 N.W.2d 252, 256-57 (S.D.1979). The trial court's Instruction Number 21 was a correct statement of the applicable law. Finally, Grevlos' contention that the trial court's instruction was party-neutral is without merit. By definition, a party-neutral instruction does not favor either party. Therefore, the trial court properly refused Grevlos' requested instructions and properly instructed the jury on violation of a statute. Finally, Grevlos has failed to show that refusal to give any of his proposed instructions was prejudicial. Error is not reversible unless it is prejudicial. SDCL 15-6-61; Drier v. Great American Ins. Co., supra, 409 N.W.2d at 360 n. 2. The party asserting error has the burden of showing prejudice in failure to give a requested instruction. State v. Corder, supra, 460 N.W.2d at 738; State v. Grey Owl, supra, 295 N.W.2d at 751. The appellant must show the jury might, and probably would, have returned a different verdict if the proposed instruction had been given. Frey v. Kouf, supra, 484 N.W.2d at 868; Schelske v. South Dakota Poultry Co-op, supra, 465 N.W.2d at 190. If this case were tried one hundred times, Grevlos would still be on the wrong side of the road and Sommervold would still not have a light. In all probability, the jury would reach the same conclusion every time. Holmes v. Wegman Oil Co., 492 N.W.2d 107, 113-14 (S.D.1992). We affirm. HENDERSON, J., and McKEEVER, Circuit Judge, concur. SABERS, J., concurs in part and dissents in part. MILLER, C.J., dissents. GORS, Circuit Judge, for WUEST, J., disqualified. McKEEVER, Circuit Judge, for AMUNDSON, J., disqualified.