Court Opinion

ID: 9514542
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-08-06 22:50:21.65964+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T09:06:18.748981
License: Public Domain

AMUNDSON, Justice
(concurring in part and dissenting in part).
[¶ 44.] I dissent on issue four.
[¶ 45.] The majority opinion goes a long way toward imposing punitive damages as a matter of course for intoxication in negligence actions. While the Court has previously upheld an award of punitive damages against an intoxicated driver, it did so under a far more outrageous set of circumstances. See Flockhart v. Wyant, 467 N.W.2d 473 (S.D.1991). The facts relevant to the award of punitive damages in Flockhart were described by the Court as follows:
Wyant began drinking at about 8:00 p.m. January 7. (She admitted to drinking a six-pack of beer.) The next morning (the day of the accident) Wyant, although she knew she would be traveling to Rapid City, had “two or three” beers at a bar in her hometown of Wall (approximately fifty miles east of Rapid City) between 10:00 a.m. and 11:00 a.m. She then began her trip towards Rapid City, during which she consumed more beer. Next, she stopped and drank at a bar in New Underwood (approximately thirty-five miles west of Wall and fifteen miles east of Rapid City). She then proceeded toward Rapid City where the accident occurred. She had beer in her car at the time of the accident.
Wyant, who was convicted of driving under the influence of alcohol as a result of this accident, testified that she had only consumed about six beers that day. However, her blood alcohol level was 0.30%.
Wyant, who apparently had five previous alcohol-related offenses, dating back to *111972, had been through various alcohol treatment programs. She testified that she has seen movies, attended classes, and had been to lectures about drinking and driving. Wyant had been fined for each of her prior DUI convictions but testified that the fines had not kept her from drinking, nor had they kept her from driving while she had been drinking.
Id. at 474 (emphasis in original) (footnote omitted). The accident in Flockhart took place when Wyant lost control of her vehicle on Interstate 90, went through the medián, and struck Flockhart’s oncoming vehicle. Id.
[¶ 46.] Comparing the facts of the case before us with Flockhart reveals that the two eases are quite distinguishable. First of all, Risdall, at most, had a blood alcohol level of 0.15%, which is half the level Wyant had in Flockhart. This fact alone suggests the degree to which the cases differ. See Huffman v. Love, 245 Va. 311, 427 S.E.2d 357, 360-61 (1993) (holding that “[i]n determining the degree of a defendant’s negligence, intoxication is relevant as an aggravating factor, increasing with the level of intoxication.”); Cabe v. Lunich, 70 Ohio St.3d 598, 640 N.E.2d 159, 163 (1994) (agreeing with the cases on punitive damages that hold “[a]s the degree of impairment by the voluntary consumption of alcohol increases, the need for other aggravating circumstances lessens, and vice versa.”).
[¶ 47.] Another difference between Flock-hart and this case is that Risdall was not transporting and consuming alcohol as he drove his vehicle like Wyant had done. Certainly, drinking while you drive must be considered more egregious conduct, evidencing an even greater culpability. Another difference between the two cases is the extent of the driver’s respective history of drinking and driving. Wyant had five previous alcohol related offenses and had been fined each time, “but testified that the fines had not kept her from drinking, nor had they kept her from driving while she had been drinking.” Flockhart, 467 N.W.2d at 474. Risdall had significantly fewer alcohol related offenses and correctional experience. A further difference between the cases involves the way the accidents occurred in each case. Risdall was not driving erratically and would not have had the accident in question had the other car not pulled out from a stop sign and traveled directly into Risdall’s path. In fact, there is a serious question as to whether Risdall committed any operational negligence at all while driving his vehicle.8 By comparison, Wyant drove through a median and struck another car traveling in the opposite direction on the interstate highway. At most, Risdall failed to keep a proper lookout for cars that might stray into his path, which is mere negligence. However, “[a]n act of mere negligence does not, of itself, demonstrate the degree of intention and deliberation necessary to raise a question of punitive damages.” Detling v. Chockley, 70 Ohio St.2d 134, 436 N.E.2d 208, 211 (1982), overruled on other grounds by Cabe, 70 Ohio St.3d 598, 640 N.E.2d 159 (citing Jones v. Wittenberg Univ., 534 F.2d 1203 (6th Cir.1976) (other citations omitted)); see generally Danny R. Veilleux, Annotation, Intoxication of Automobile Driver as Basis for Awarding Punitive Damages, 33 AL.R.5& 303 (1995). Mere negligence does not satisfy the requirement that conduct must be “willful, wanton or malicious” in order to support an award of punitive damages. See SDCL 21-1-4.1.
[¶48.] The majority opinion also looks to Tranby v. Brodock, 348 N.W.2d 458 (S.D.1984), for guidance as to what willful and wanton misconduct means in the context of operating a motor vehicle. Tranby explained that willful and wanton misconduct means the defendant “consciously realized that his conduct would in all probability, as distinguished from.'possibility, produce the precise result which it did produce and would bring harm to plaintiff.” Id. at 461. However, it is difficult to fit Risdall’s conduct under that definition, even when examining the record in a light unfavorable to him. He was not driving erratically, but was suddenly confronted width an unforeseen emergency. Again, a comparison with Wyant’s conduct in *12Flockhart is informative. Wyant’s conduct in swerving through the median into the path of oncoming traffic would in all probability result in the accident which actually did occur. When Risdall decided to drive home from the bar, there was the possibility that his slowed reflexes would cause an accident when faced with an unforeseen emergency caused by the negligence of another driver.' However, this certainly would not be a probability. ■ Thus, Tranby’s definition of “willful and wanton conduct” seems inapplicable to Risdall’s actions. See id.
[¶ 49.] It is difficult to foresee any circumstance where an intoxicated driver would not be subject to punitive damages under this decision. Driving while intoxicated can be negligent, but it does not mean that there should be strict exposure to punitive damages in all instances. This is a case where there should be no exposure to the claim for punitive damages and the record reflects that even the jury was so convinced.

. The record reflects that the investigating officer at the scene of the accident-was Dwight Hall. In response to a question on whether alcohol was a contributing factor to the accident, Officer Hall opined that the accident would have happened even if Risdall had been sober.