Amacker v. Kirby

224 So. 2d 18, 1969 La. App. LEXIS 5177
CourtLouisiana Court of Appeal
DecidedMay 26, 1969
DocketNo. 7698
StatusPublished
Cited by7 cases

This text of 224 So. 2d 18 (Amacker v. Kirby) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Louisiana Court of Appeal primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Amacker v. Kirby, 224 So. 2d 18, 1969 La. App. LEXIS 5177 (La. Ct. App. 1969).

Opinion

SARTAIN, Judge.

This is an action for personal injuries and special damages which resulted from an automobile-bicycle collision. The suit was instituted by the natural tutrix of the minor, Betty Jo Amacker, age 11, who was riding her bicycle at the time of the accident. The defendant, Edgar W. Kirby’s vehicle struck the child’s bicycle as the latter turned right in front of the vehicle. The trial judge held that the doctrine of last chance was applicable in that Mr. Kirby failed to observe the child at a time he should have which would have enabled him to bring his car under control and to have stopped before colliding with the child. For reasons hereinafter stated we are of the opinion that the application of the doctrine of last clear chance to the facts in the instant matter is erroneous and that the judgment of the trial court should be reversed.

[19]*19Much of the facts surrounding this case are not in dispute. Both Mr. Kirby and Betty Jo Amacker were proceeding in a westerly direction on Evangeline Street. Evangeline Street near the scene of the accident is asphalt and twenty feet in width, ten for each direction of traffic. It is bordered by a shoulder of three to four feet. Grass on the shoulder grows right up to the edge of the asphalt. In some spots, however, there is some gravel. The pertinent intersections to Evangeline Street are West Brookstown Drive and Annette Street. West Brookstown Drive runs in a north-south direction and “T” intersects with Evangeline Street from the south. Annette Street also runs in a north-south direction and “T” intersects with Evangeline Street from the north. The distance between the center lines of West Brooks-town Drive and Annette Street is 203 feet.

Just prior to the accident Betty Jo Amacker was traveling west along the south edge of Evangeline Street and Mr. Kirby was traveling west in the north lane for westbound traffic and overtook the cyclist. The accident occurred when Betty Jo Amacker endeavored to make a right turn from the south side of Evangeline Street to cross Mr. Kirby’s lane, and to proceed north on Annette Street. The point of impact was located six feet south of the north parallel line of Evangeline Street, fourteen feet north of the south parallel line of Evangeline Street, and two feet east of the west parallel line of Annette Street.

The accident occurred on October 22, 1964 at about 3:10 P.M. The weather was good. The streets were dry.

The police officer who investigated the accident found that the right tires of the Kirby vehicle left forty-eight feet of skid marks prior to the point of impact and all four wheels left eighteen feet of skid marks after the point of impact. ' Photographs taken at the scene of the accident reveal that the Kirby vehicle came to rest with its left front bumper still in contact with the bicycle and with its rear wheels just a few feet west of the west parallel line of Annette Street. The officer testified that he found no evidence of excessive speed on the part of the defendant.

Betty Jo Amacker, age 11 years and 1 month at the time of the accident, was in the sixth grade and attending East Brooks-town Elementary School. The school is located approximately four blocks from the scene of the accident. She stated that she left the school at about 3:00 o’clock, proceeded west on Clayton Street, turned to her right on West Brookstown Drive and traveled north for a distance of two blocks to Evangeline Street. She then turned left onto Evangeline Street and was proceeding in a westerly direction along the south edge of Evangeline Street. She stated that when she turned left from Brookstown Drive onto Evangeline Street she looked back to her right (east) and observed a white vehicle (Kirby) that was “pretty far back”. She explained that the first knowledge she had of impending danger to herself was after she had commenced to make her right turn to north on Annette Street when she heard the Kirby vehicle as its tires began to skid. In response to a question as to whether or not she knew the car was behind her and whether or not she looked again to her rear before turning right, she stated that she did know that the car was behind her but that she “did not look again because I guess I thought the car was still back there and it wouldn’t hit me”. She stated further that she had her bicycle under control at all times even though she was holding three books in her left hand and steering with her right.

Mr. Kirby testified that he was proceeding west on Evangeline Street and had initially slowed down for an intersection of this street with East Brookstown Drive, some 1600 feet east of the scene of the accident, where there was a school crossing attendant. He testified that he was traveling at approximately thirty miles per hour and did not observe the Amacker child until she had commenced her right turn ma[20]*20neuver to go north on Annette Street. He immediately applied his brakes but stated that he was unable to avoid striking the youth and the bicycle.

Plaintiff called two witnesses, Messrs. John W. Chaney and Leroy W. Wheat, Jr. These witnesses were riding in Mr. Chaney’s vehicle and were traveling east on Evangeline Street and were west of the point of collision when the accident occurred.

Mr. Chaney stated that the first knowledge he had of the accident was when he saw the bicycle and the vehicle collide. He stated:

“* * * I could see the car but I couldn’t see the car hit the little girl, but I saw her, when I noticed her, in other words, it looked like the bicycle was going down and I was meeting the car that struck the bicycle and it was a little girl.”

He estimated that he was 100 to ISO yards from the intersection of Evangeline and Annette Streets when the accident occurred. This witness further stated that he remembered seeing children along the street and he would “guesstimate” possible fifteen to twenty children, were in the area. His recollection was that these children were on the south side of Evangeline. He did not recall seeing any children on the north side.

Mr. Wheat testified that the Amacker child was not over ten feet away from a group of school children. He estimated that there were eight in the group. He stated that when he observed the accident he and Mr. Chaney were 80 to 100 feet east of the scene. However, Mr. Wheat’s testimony was to the effect that the children were on the north side of Evangeline Street and that the Amacker child was coming out o.f Annette onto Evangeline Street. On this point he stated, “I believe this is the way it happened. The little girl came out onto the street, the gentleman (Kirby) immediately applied his brakes and could not stop quick enough.”

A Mrs. Betty Zucarello testified that she was parked in the front of a t.v. shop which is located on the northeast corner of the intersection of Evangeline and Annette. She was first aware of an impending accident when she heard the Kirby vehicle skidding. As she looked out she simultaneously saw the Kirby vehicle and the child. The latter was crossing Evangeline from south to north. This witness did not recall seeing any other children in the vicinity.

Mr. Alvin Doyle, Jr., who was admitted as an expert relative to the stopping and braking of vehicles, testified that the fifty-six feet of skid marks left by the Kirby vehicle indicated a speed to him of 33 miles per hour with a tolerance of 10%. On cross examination he admitted minimum and maximum speeds of Mr. Kirby to be 27 to 35 miles per hour respectively.

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Bluebook (online)
224 So. 2d 18, 1969 La. App. LEXIS 5177, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/amacker-v-kirby-lactapp-1969.