Branch v. Whitaker

294 S.W.2d 948
CourtCourt of Appeals of Kentucky
DecidedOctober 26, 1956
StatusPublished
Cited by2 cases

This text of 294 S.W.2d 948 (Branch v. Whitaker) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Court of Appeals of Kentucky primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Branch v. Whitaker, 294 S.W.2d 948 (Ky. Ct. App. 1956).

Opinion

STEWART, Judge.

On August 5, 1953, Jack Earl Branch was killed when his car ran into the rear of a tractor-trailer truck on U. S. Highway 25 near Georgetown. Plaintiff, Maudie Virginia Branch, as administratrix, sought in circuit court to recover from defendants, Jack Whitaker and Gene Whitaker d/b/a J. Whitaker and Son, the owners, and Howard Corbin Horn, the driver, $60,000 for the death of Jack Earl Branch, $665 for his funeral expenses,- and $2;150 for the destruction of his car. It was alleged the negligent' operation and management of the truck by Horn caused it to collide' with decedent’s car. We shall re[949]*949fer herein to the admiriistratrix as plaintiff and to the Whitakers and- Horn as defendants.

Decedent was traveling north on the highway. Horn, acting upon instructions from his employers, the Whitakers, was also proceeding north on the highway with a truck-load of cattle. At a location about two miles south of Georgetown, and around midnight, the truck suddenly quit running and came to a halt, standing entirely on the paved portion of .the- highway in the east lane headed up-hill to the north. There is disagreement .among the witnesses as to how long the truck remained in this position before the- fatal crash. However, it seems to have been there from ten to thirty minutes.

There was no dispute but that the lights were burning on the rear of the truck. According to Horn, these consisted ' of' ‘two clearance lights, one tail light and a brake light, and they were burning brightly. Plaintiff’s witness, state highway patrolman, William K. Juett, Jr., testified the rear lights were “burning bright as they are required by law”. J. Richard Miller, another of plaintiff’s witnesses, described the same lights as “burning low, dimming all the time”. His wife, who also appeared in behalf of plaintiff, stated that these lights “were very, very dim,” but her view was from the west side of’the highway approximately 25 feet north of the truck and she was looking toward the- front of it.

Horn,-who wore a white T-shirt on the occasion, stated he-took up a position some 200 feet south of his. truck and vainly attempted to flag the Branch car' down. He was unable to do so and at the last moment jumped into the ditch to the east of the highway in order to avoid .being struck himself. He estimated the speed of the ■Branch car at from'75 to 85 miles per hour. Plaintiff’s' witnesses, the Millers, placed it at about 45. The skidmarks caused by the tires of the Branch car when he finally applied his brakes started approximately fifty feet to the rear of the-vehicle. No flares were put out by Horn, although he was warned twice'by the state highway patrolman, Juett, to do so before the collision.

The trial of the action resulted in a verdict for defendants. upon which-judgment was duly entered. On this appeal it is the contention of plaintiff that the trial court committed error in the following respects:

1. “Instruction' No. C” offered by defendants'-and given by the court was preju-dicially erroneous. ■ - '
2. The court erred in permitting the jury to visit the scene of fhe accident, and to separate in doing, so, after the,case had been fully concluded and submitted t.o, it.
3. 'The directions given by the-court to the jury concerning the manner in which the jury should visit the scene of the 'accident-were erroneous..
4. The misconduct of the jury at the scene of the accident was prejudicial to the rights of plaintiff.
These grounds. will now be, considered in the order listed,

"Instruction No. C” reads: “The court instructs the jury- that the defendant, Howard Corbin Horn, at the time and place set forth in the evidence, was under no duty to set flares in the front, rear or to the side of -his disabled vehicle if at the time and place he had the lights on the rear of his- truck lighted and visible for a distance of 500 feet.”

It is argued this instruction assumes without question that the truck was disabled to the extent it was proper for it to be left standing on 'the highway. It is also contended, relying upon the evidence of J. Richard Miller arid his wife, that the lighting system on the rear of the truck was not functioning properly, with the result that the .jury should have been -permitted,- under a- proper- instruction, to determine ' if the driver- of the truck was ■ negligent because he failed to put-out flares, which, KRS 189.-[950]*950070(2) requires when the lights of the vehicle are disabled. ,

We believe the primary intention of the foregoing instruction was to explain that no duty existed to place flares on the highway if at the time and place the lights on the truck were on and visible for a distance of 500 feet.' Flares are not required to be placed on the highway under the circumstances mentioned in the. . instruction. See KRS 189.050(4). The evidence did not establish that the truck’s rear lights were disabled. Although Juett, the state highway patrolman, told the truck driver, Horn, to put out flares, it was not proven that the lights could not be seen 500 feet to the rear of the truck." This same officer, as well as Horn, declared they could be seen that distance. Plaintiff’s two witnesses, the Millers,. said the .lights were burning but they were dim. How dim? Neither of these witnesses favored us with an explanation on this point;

When we eváluate the evidence, we conclude the giving of “Instruction No. C” was warranted in order that- the' 'issue could be resolved as to whether the visibility of the lights was such that KRS 189.050(4) was satisfied. But the court did not stop with this instruction on the subject of lights. Out'of an abundance of precaution, 'the court also submitted “Instruction No. 3” which allowed the jury to determine, in addition, - whether Horn should have put out flares in' the manner prescribed by KRS 189.070(2); It is thus apparent plaintiff’s contention as to “Instruction No. C” is without merit .and her complaint that the court failed tó set forth Horn’s duty as to placing flares on the highway was met.by the giving of “Instruction No. 3”. Obviously, when these two instructions are. considered together, they adequately cover the duties raised by the evidence on.,the subject.of lights.

• -In her criticism of “Instruction Nó. O”, plaintiff argues that defendants should have established it -was impossible -to avoid the truck’s occupancy of the main traveled portion.of the. highway or it was impracticable to remove it therefrom until -repairs were made or sufficient help was obtained to remove it, as required by KRS 189.450(1). Another argument advanced in this connection is that Horn failed to resort to diligent measures to secure assistance and, hence, the court should have submitted to the jury the question as to whether he was negligent for this reason.

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294 S.W.2d 948, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/branch-v-whitaker-kyctapp-1956.