Court Opinion

ID: 9883781
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-10-06 02:18:42.669626+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T07:48:30.540609
License: Public Domain

PARKER, Judge
(dissenting).
I respectfully dissent and suggest that the majority opinion perpetuates what appears to be a confusion, of the two automobiles used, by the court below in granting summary judgment to respondent. In short, appellant Klug’s automobile was the situs; the uninsured motorist Bahe’s automobile was the active accessory of his assault.
It must be borne in mind that appellant was driving on TH #10 at 55 miles per hour when Bahe overtook him. A motor vehicle was “a contributing, indeed necessary, cause of the [assault],” to paraphrase Waseca Mutual Insurance Co. v. Noska, 331 N.W.2d 917 (Minn.1983), as quoted by the majority above.
Both no-fault and uninsured motorist coverage should be available to appellant if his bodily injuries arose out of the “use” of a motor vehicle, notwithstanding the intentional nature of Bahe’s assault. Meric v. Mid Century Insurance Co., 343 N.W.2d 688 (Minn.Ct.App.1984).
I adopt, for the purposes of this dissent, the following passage from appellant’s brief:
When reviewing Minnesota case law defining the term “use” of a motor vehicle, several facts concerning the present case should be kept in mind:
1. Daniel Bahe used his motor vehicle to pursue Russell Klug.
2. Without the use of his motor vehicle, Mr. Bahe would not have been able to overtake Mr. Klug.
3. Daniel Bahe used his motor vehicle to drive along side of Mr. Klug’s motor vehicle so that the shots could be fired at point blank range.
4. Mr. Bahe used the door of his motor vehicle to steady the gun.
5. Mr. Bahe was actually steering his motor vehicle with his left hand while preparing to shoot, and while actually shooting at Mr. Klug.
6. Mr. Bahe used his motor vehicle so that even if the shot didn’t kill Mr. Klug, the ensuing crash more than likely would have.
7. Mr. Bahe shot Mr. Klug while both motor vehicles were traveling on Highway 10.
8. Mr. Bahe used his motor vehicle in the continued pursuit of Mr. Klug for approximately two miles.
9. Mr. Bahe used his motor vehicle to ram the rear end of Mr. Klug’s motor vehicle.
10. Mr. Bahe used his motor vehicle to escape.
11. Through the use of his motor vehicle, Mr. Bahe would have very likely been able to escape undetected, if Mr. Klug had been killed.
12. In summary, for approximately two miles Mr. Bahe pursued, overtook, shot from, rammed and eventually escaped through the use of a motor vehicle. To state the issue simply, Mr. Klug’s injury arose out of the “use” of Mr. *878Bahe’s motor vehicle if: (1) the Bahe vehicle was an active accessory to the injury; and (2) the use of the Bahe vehicle was for transportation purposes.
Both no-fault and uninsured coverages should apply if Bahe was using his auto for transportation purposes. The majority’s analysis fails to recognize that two cars were involved, one the situs and the other the means. The matter having been submitted on cross-motions for summary judgment, I would reverse and order judgment for appellant.