Court Opinion

ID: 9586486
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-08-21 23:11:56.403864+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T17:31:47.437777
License: Public Domain

PARKER, J.,
dissenting. Walter Maynard Willetts, one of the defendants, testified in part on direct examination as follows: “I was operating a red, 1957 Ford pickup with two boxes on the side mounted for the purpose of carrying tools and parts, sitting up on top of the fender but not protruding over the fender at all. The truck was the same width from front fenders to back fenders. The tool boxes were four feet from the bound mounted on top of the body which came out flush with the fenders." * "As I passed these people I ¡heard a thud, sounded like a car ran over a rock or stick or something in the road. Sounded like the wheel of the car hit something. At that time I was going approximately 15 miles an hour. Upon hearing this slight thud, I looked back in the mirrow and saw this fellow holding his arm running across the road.'" * *Upon observing the gentleman running across the road, I mashed on the gas to go ahead, then looked back through the mirror and decided I’d better stop; so I immediately pulled over to the shoulder, backed up, stopped the truck and walked back. The man that was hurt had sat down at that time on the plaza. I said, ‘Fellow, what happened?’ He said, ‘You hit me with that truck.’ ” On cross-examination, he testified: “In my tool box I had parts for furnaces, airconditioners, hand wrenches, screwdrivers, pliers, things like that." * '"'The tool box is approximately twelve inches wide and extends inside to the bed of the truck, flush with the body. It is flush on the inside of the truck and extends ten or twelve inches on the outside. The fenders of the truck extend beyond the bed of the truck at least ten or twelve inches flush with the tool boxes on the outside.”
Considering the summary of the evidence set forth in the majority opinion, and also the testimony of defendant Willetts set forth verbatim above, it is my opinion that the judgment for motion of nonsuit should be overruled and the case submitted to the jury, and I so vote.