Court Opinion

ID: 9580613
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-08-21 22:06:52.992826+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T13:36:24.197272
License: Public Domain

Evans, Judge,
concurring in part and dissenting in part.
I concur in the majority opinion as to Division 1, but I dissent as to the holding in Division 2 and the judgment of affirmance in Case Number 49501.
On the evening of April 19,1973, at around 9:30 p.m., a garbage truck of the City of Atlanta became disabled and stopped in the west bound lane of Bolton Road in Atlanta, Ga. Work was performed on the truck until around 10:30 p.m., at which time all lights were extinguished, including the emergency flashing lights. The truck was left abandoned, completely dark, and blocking the west bound lane of traffic on Bolton Road. Four hours later a Volkswagen collided with the parked, deserted, and unlighted garbage truck, as a result of *589which suit was filed against the City of Atlanta.
The trial court granted the city’s motion for summary judgment as to the theory of liability for maintenance of a nuisance, holding that there was no liability for maintenance of a nuisance in this case. At the same time, the trial court held there was a right of action for failure by the city to keep its streets safe.
The majority opinion affirms, in Division 2 of its opinion, holding that no right of action for maintenance of a nuisance was set forth in this case. Even though the majority holds there was a right of action for failure by the City of Atlanta to keep its streets safe, I am convinced that the question of maintenance of a nuisance is quite important, and must be dealt with by our courts hereafter, and I therefore dissent and set forth my reasons for such dissent.
A municipality is liable for damages it causes another from the operation or maintenance of a nuisance, irrespective of whether or not it is exercising a governmental or a ministerial function. Ingram v. City of Acworth, 90 Ga. App. 719, 720 (84 SE2d 99); Archer v. City of Austell, 68 Ga. App. 493, 497 (23 SE2d 512); Town of Fort Oglethorpe v. Phillips, 224 Ga. 834, 838 (165 SE2d 141), Delta Air Corp. v. Kersey, 193 Ga. 862, 870 (20 SE2d 245). Anything that works hurt, inconvenience or damage to another is a nuisance. Code § 72-101. The city knew of the danger of leaving the garbage truck in the position in which it was located at 10:30 p.m., if not at 9:30 p.m.; made efforts to repair same, but for some reason, known only to the workmen, failed to remove it from the traffic and position of peril. Indeed, there was some evidence that no effort was made to leave any type of protection such as flare signals or emergency lights, on or off the truck, to protect the public. The interrogatories disclose that after the collision, the vehicle was drivable and was removed under its own power from the scene. Actual "operation and maintenance of a dangerous condition and knowingly allowing such condition to continue to the injury of the plaintiff” was shown by the evidence. Town of Fort Oglethorpe v. Phillips, 224 Ga. 834, 838, supra. The case sub judice is dissimilar to that of Johnson v. City of Atlanta, 117 Ga. 586, supra, wherein plaintiffs dwelling *590was inundated with sewerage only once, and the city was unaware that this might occur. Nor is the case of Tory v. City of Atlanta, 128 Ga. App. 155 (195 SE2d 923), wherein a collision occurred with a city garbage truck driving along the city street applicable. Here the city was well aware of the dangerous condition, and did nothing to correct the matter for four hours, leaving the public to its peril and disaster.
It is my opinion the trial court erred in granting the city’s partial summary judgment on the theory of lack of nuisance, because the city was well aware of the danger of leaving the garbage truck in the position in which it was located for several hours. It thereby maintained a nuisance which was detrimental to the plaintiff.