Court Opinion

ID: 9540427
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-08-07 16:15:51.054473+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T14:57:19.726020
License: Public Domain

LATIMER, Justice,
I concur.
The problem in this case is to decide whether or not the acts of the defendant were sufficiently aggravated to justify the jury in finding him guilty of criminal conduct. The dividing line between civil and criminal neglect is indistinct and troublesome to determine, so we encounter difficult decisions in borderline cases. However, I believe when due consideration is given to all elements disclosed by this record the finding of guilty can be affirmed. The facts which lead me to that conviction are mentioned in *532the prevailing opinion but are not emphasized in the summation. I, therefore, choose to amplify the facts related in Chief Justice PRATT’S opinion.
It is hardly possible to describe the physical appearance of the two automobiles after the accident and detail the physical surroundings so as to portray accurately the force of the impact between the automobiles. But the damage done to the two cars, their location after the collision, and the distance some of the parts were hurled by the impact, lead me to believe the jury could reasonably find that the defendant was traveling at a. much greater speed than he was willing to admit. In this connection, the evidence showed that his speedometer had not worked for some considerable period of time and his estimate of speed was based on his familiarity with the operation of his car. He estimated he was traveling 30 to 35 miles an hour just before the collision, but the record impresses me with the fact that he gave himself the benefit of every doubt when he made that estimate. Both cars were literally demolished ; the Packard automobile, which was being driven south, was driven back to the north a distance of 25 feet; the hood of the Buick automobile which was being driven by the defendant was found 254 feet from the place of the collision; and the motor of the Buick (which weighed 590 pounds) was broken off from its mountings and at the time the officers arrived was approximately 100 feet from the point of impact and 75 feet from where the Buick automobile came to rest. A witness for the defendant testified that prior to the arrival of the police officer he helped move the motor from a position on the highway as it was interfering with north-bound traffic. While he does not state the distance it was from the point of impact prior to the time it was moved, his testimony establishes that it would be at least 20 feet east and considerably north of where the collision occurred.
*533The officer’s testimony portrays driving conditions as being very slippery and hazardous. I believe the reference in the majority opinion to lanes of traffic is a little misleading in view of the fact that the highway was covered with snow and ice and the dividing lines were not visible. The only line which could be seen, according to the officer’s testimony, was the center yellow line and this was visible under the ice. On the east side of the highway there was a 12-foot surface immediately to the east of the center line which had been used as the main travelled portion on that side of the road. That part had been worn down by constant traffic while the balance of the highway was covered with packed snow and appeared as not having been well traveled. If we accept defendant’s story that there were cars immediately preceding him, it would be a fair inference from the testimony that they were traveling along the 12-foot surface which had been used extensively. There were no dry spots on that portion of the highway, as the officer testified that from the stop sign at 33rd South Street and surface was covered with solid ice. The only dry place he observed was at that intersection, which had been sanded.
The accident happened 16 feet to the west of the center line so that the defendant had crossed over and was better than half-way across the west half of the street when the collision occurred. This is not one of those cases where the impact was close to the center and the driver might have been mistaken as to the exact location of the center line. Rather, this is a case where the offending car proceeded a long way across the wrong side of the road to collide with the south-bound car.
From these facts I believe the jury could conclude: That the defendant, who had driven down the highway earlier that evening, was familiar with road conditions; that he knew the surface of the road was extremely dangerous and covered with ice; that he was driving 35 miles per hour or *534faster, close to the center line of the highway; that such a irate was reckless and, in view of the traffic conditions, was in marked disregard of the rights of others; that when he attempted to go around the other vehicles he knew that other drivers were faced with difficult driving conditions; and that he knew that if it became necessary to make an unexpected movement control of all cars would be difficult.
Moreover, if the jurors accepted his statement as to his movements given shortly after the accident they could find he was attempting to pass a car which in all probability was not more than 12 feet east of the center line; that he attempted to go around it at a time when he could see cars approaching on the other side of the highway and when he knew a slight deviation in direction might result in his skidding into the path of the oncoming automobile.
The road conditions must have been such that any driver would know he was taking a reckless, unwarranted and substantial risk in passing a car so close to the center line, and, that unless conditions turned out very favorably he would be unable to prevent his car from skidding out of control. Under such a set of facts and circumstances, I believe the jury could reasonably find that the defendant’s driving was more aggravated than ordinary negligence and reached the level of the criminal type.