Opinion ID: 1743527
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 3

Heading: The entrustor knew of the incompetence.

Text: Balentine also attacks the jury's finding of the second element of negligent entrustment that the entrustor knew or had reason to know of the entrustee's incompetence. At trial, Billy Sparkman explained to the jury that prior to the accident he was at Balentine's home, and that they drove only a few blocks before they entered the intersection where the accident occurred. It is well settled that a jury is allowed to draw upon their common knowledge and experience in reaching a verdict from the facts proven at trial. Robinson v. State, 317 Ark. 17, 875 S.W.2d 837 (1994). Moreover, it is appropriate for the jury to draw reasonable inferences from the facts presented at trial. Anselmo, supra . Hence, we find that the jury could have reasonably inferred that if Sparkman was intoxicated at the time of the accident, he would have also exhibited similar physical signs of intoxication moments before the accident when Balentine entrusted him with the operation of her car. Thus, we find that there was sufficient evidence to support the jury's conclusion that Balentine negligently entrusted the station wagon to Sparkman. In view of this finding, we likewise hold that the trial court did not err in instructing the jury on negligent entrustment.