Opinion ID: 2536666
Heading Depth: 5
Heading Rank: 3

Heading: The remaining findings

Text: The manager made two additional findings: (1) in June 2004 Button pressured Captain Mitcheltree to exceed the capacity of Captain Mitcheltree's fast ferry in order to transport some of Button's passengers; and (2) Button admitted he stopped in the middle of a public roadway and impeded the flow of traffic, in violation of the Haines Tour Operator Code of Conduct. Button argues that the first finding was not supported by substantial evidence because the evidence was as consistent with an inference that he merely appealed to Captain Mitcheltree or reasonably requested boarding, as it was with an inference that he pressured Captain Mitcheltree. The evidence was undisputed that in June 2004 Button attempted to secure passage for several of his tour customers on Captain Mitcheltree's ferry, but was unable to get all of them on board because the ferry was full. Captain Mitcheltree testified that Button put a couple of little girls in front of me and was like these two little girls don't take up much room ... why can't you take a couple of little kids. Captain Mitcheltree described this as a pressure situation in which Button was trying to make him feel like the bad guy. Button admitted at the hearing that it [c]ould've happened. This was substantial evidence from which the manager could have concluded that Button pressured Captain Mitcheltree, and could have rejected Button's characterization that he reasonably requested boarding. We will not reweigh the evidence or choose between competing inferences reasonably drawn from the evidence. [26] Button next argues that the public roadway finding was not supported by substantial evidence because much of the evidence the manager relied on was inadmissible hearsay. The record contains several complaints that Button stopped in the middle of the road. The clerk testified that she received these complaints. Button admitted at the hearing that he stopped two or three times in or on the road to pick people up or let people off. The hearsay evidence supporting this finding was not unreliable. [27] The manager therefore properly considered the complaints and the clerk's testimony to explain or supplement Button's own admissions. That evidence was substantial evidence supporting the finding that Button stopped in the middle of the road.