Opinion ID: 846031
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 5

Heading: the meaning of operate

Text: Felonious driving is codified at MCL 257.626c, which provides: A person who operates a vehicle upon a highway or other place open to the general public or generally accessible to motor vehicles, including an area designated for the parking of vehicles, carelessly and heedlessly in willful and wanton disregard of the rights or safety of others, or without due caution and circumspection and at a speed or in a manner that endangers or is likely to endanger any person or property resulting in a serious impairment of a body function of a person, but does not cause death, is guilty of felonious driving punishable by imprisonment for not more than 2 years or a fine of not more than $2,000.00, or both. [Emphasis added.] The focus of our discussion is the meaning of the word operates. Although the Legislature does not define operates in this statute, it does offer definitions elsewhere in the Michigan Vehicle Code. MCL 257.35a provides: Operate or operating means being in actual physical control of a vehicle regardless of whether or not the person is licensed under this act as an operator or chauffeur. The code also defines operator. `Operator' means every person, other than a chauffeur, who is in actual physical control of a motor vehicle upon a highway. MCL 257.36. In both definitions, the central focus is on control. Therefore, our interpretation of MCL 257.626c depends on the meaning of control. Random House Webster's College Dictionary (2001) defines control as to exercise restraint or direction over; dominate, regulate, or command. Dominate and command are strong words. They demonstrate more than mere influence. [1] These terms connote a sense of power over the object. While they have some relation to influence, dominate and command carry more force. Both terms present the idea of overriding influence, which is more than a mere or any influence. The majority's use of control in this case is interchangeable with influence. This is simply inconsistent with the definition of control. Therefore, the majority is holding the prosecution to a lesser standard than the Legislature intended and indicated by use of the term control in both MCL 257.35a and MCL 257.36. Had the Legislature intended to substitute the term influence, it could have done so. Appellate courts should not easily assume that the Legislature made a mistake in drafting and inadvertently used one word when intending another. Robinson v. Detroit, 462 Mich. 439, 459, 613 N.W.2d 307 (2000); Detroit v. Redford Twp., 253 Mich. 453, 456, 235 N.W. 217 (1931). Although the majority does not expressly say so, its analysis implies it. Here, in the simple act of grabbing the steering wheel, defendant did not dominate or command the vehicle. The undisputed facts show that the driver remained in command of all the other elements of the vehicle. For instance, the driver still dominated the gas pedal, brake pedal, ignition, emergency brake, turn signals, and windshield wipers. Defendant did not have any command over these important elements of driving. Given that defendant was not dominating the vehicle, he was not in control of the vehicle, [2] and the district court properly dismissed the charge of felonious driving.