Court Opinion

ID: 9916559
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2024-01-10 01:10:07.072023+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T13:25:34.487697
License: Public Domain

Rozo v Ancona
               2020 NY Slip Op 35558(U)
                   September 28, 2020
             Supreme Court, Bronx County
         Docket Number: Index No. 26486/19E
                  Judge: Ben R. Barbato
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  FILED: BRONX COUNTY CLERK 10/13/2020 03:28 PM                                                 INDEX NO. 26486/2019E
  NYSCEF DOC. NO. 31                                                                      RECEIVED NYSCEF: 10/13/2020

            SUPREME COURT STATE OF NEW YORK
            COUNTY OF BRONX TRIAL TERM- PART 14

            Present:      Honorable Ben R. Barbato

            ANGIE BERNAL ROZO and ALIXON TRINIDAD,

                                                                              DECISION/O RDER
                                         Plaintiff,
                                                                               Index No.: 26486/l 9E
                          -against-

            ROGER ANCONA, RISHAD MUBARAK and HESHANTHA
            EKANA YAKAMUDIYANSELAGE,

                                         Defendant.

            Recitation, as required by CPLR 2219(a) of the papers considered in the review of this motion to
            dismiss:

                   Papers                                                             Numbered
            Notice of Motion, Affirmation and Exhibits Annexed                        1
            Notice of Cross-Motion, Affirmation and Exhibits Annexed                  2
            Affirmation in Opposition and Exhibit Annexed                             3
            A01rmation in Opposition to Cross-Motio n and Exhibits                    4
            Affirmation in Reply                                                      5

                   The instant action sounds in personal injury arising from a motor vehicle accident

            occurring on September 9, 2017, on that roadway known as the Queens Midtown Tunnel, in the

            County of the Queens, City and State ofNew York. Defendarit, Roger Ancona, moves this court

            for an Order pursuant to CPLR §3212 awarding Summary Judgment dismissing the Plaintiff's

            Complaint with prejudice on the issue of liability. By Notice of Cross-Motion, Plaintiffs, Angie

            Bernal Rozo and Alixon Trinidad, move this court for an Order granting summary judgment on

            the issue of liability as against the Defendants, Rishad Mubarak and Heshantha

            Ekanayakamudiyanselage, and denying Defendant, Roger Acona' s motion for summary

            judgment dismissing Plaintiff's Complaint and all cross-motions as against Defendant, Roger

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  FILED: BRONX COUNTY CLERK 10/13/2020 03:28 PM                                                    INDEX NO. 26486/2019E
  NYSCEF DOC. NO. 31                                                                       RECEIVED NYSCEF: 10/13/2020

           Ancona.

                   This case involves a rear end motor vehicle accident in which that vehicle operated by the

           Defendant, Roger Ancona, was struck in the rear by the vehicle driven by Co-Defendant,

            Heshantha Ekanayakamudiyanselage.

                   The law has been well established with respect to rear end collisions in cases where the

           front vehicle is stopped or stopping. Here Defendant, Roger Ancona claims that his vehicle was

            fully stopped in traffic in the Queens Midtown Tunnel when the Co-Defendants' vehicle struck

            him in the rear. It is the duty of a operator of a motor vehicle to see what is there to be seen and

            operate their vehicle according to the circumstances then and there existing. A driver of a motor

            vehicle approaching another vehicle from the rear is bound to maintain a safe and reasonable

            speed and control over their vehicle, exercising reasonable care to avoid colliding with the other

            vehicle. In such instance if contact between the vehicle occurs it is prirna facie evidence of

            negligence on the part of the driver of the rear vehicle which imposes a duty upon that operator to

            come forward with a non-negligent explanation for the accident. Tutrani v. County of Suffolk, 10

            NY3d 906, 908 (2008); Cabrera v. Rodriguez, 72 AD3d 533 (2010). In the instant case no non

            negligent explanation has been tendered.

                    Plaintiff's argument that the instant motion is premature since the Defendant Roger

            Ancona has not been deposed is unavailing. The presumption that further inquiry may yield

            some evidence of comparative negligence of the part of the Defendant, Roger Ancona is

            insufficient to overcome the presumption of negligence on the part of CO-Defendants, Rishad

            Mubarak and Heshantha Ekanayakamudiyanselage.

                    ORDERED, that Defendant, Roger Ancona's motion for an Order pursuant to CPLR

            §3212 granting summary judgment on the issue ofliability as against him and dismissing the

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  FILED: BRONX COUNTY CLERK 10/13/2020 03:28 PM                                                INDEX NO. 26486/2019E
  NYSCEF DOC. NO. 31                                                                    RECEIVED NYSCEF: 10/13/2020

            Complaint and all counterclaims, granted it is further

                   ORDERED, that Plaintiffs, Angie Bernal Rozo and Alixon Trinidad's, Cross-Motion for

           an Order granting partial summary judgment on the issue of liability as against the Defendants,

           Rishad Mubarak and Heshantha Ekanayakamudiyanselageis granted.

           Dated: September 28, 2020

                                                                     Kon. Ben R. Barbato, J.S.C.

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