Court Opinion

ID: 9540816
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-08-07 16:20:00.092049+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T15:01:08.372365
License: Public Domain

Gregory, Justice,
concurring specially.
I concur fully in the judgment and the language of Divisions 1 and 2 of the majority opinion. However, I differ with the rationale of Division 3. I view the driver and the passengers as standing in entirely different positions with regard to the question of coverage. The *343driver is an insured under the policy who has called on the insurer to defend tort actions against him arising out of his use of the vehicle. The driver’s conduct is relevant to two separate issues. Since the policy under which he claims coverage does not apply to “any automobile while used by an insured . . . while attempting to avoid apprehension or arrest,” his conduct may cost him the coverage he seeks, or part of that coverage under our decision here. His conduct is also relevant, of course, on the issue of liability in the tort actions. The passengers are not defendants in a tort suit. They do not seek coverage under the policy. They are plaintiffs in a tort suit against the driver. Their conduct is relevant to the issue of liability in that action but is not relevant to the issue of coverage. I view the passengers and the victim in the other vehicle as being similarly situated as to the issue of coverage. As to all of them, their conduct has everything to do with liability and nothing to do with coverage.
I am authorized to state that Presiding Justice Marshall joins in this special concurrence.