Chandler v. Dugan

251 P.2d 580, 70 Wyo. 439, 1952 Wyo. LEXIS 46
CourtWyoming Supreme Court
DecidedDecember 9, 1952
Docket2558
StatusPublished
Cited by29 cases

This text of 251 P.2d 580 (Chandler v. Dugan) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Wyoming Supreme Court primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Chandler v. Dugan, 251 P.2d 580, 70 Wyo. 439, 1952 Wyo. LEXIS 46 (Wyo. 1952).

Opinions

[445]*445OPINION

ILSLEY, Justice.

This is a case where the plaintiff, Irene Chandler, was injured in a headon automobile collision. Plaintiff was riding with her husband, Horace E. Chandler, the driver of one automobile which collided with an automobile driven by the defendant and appellant, Donald R. Dugan, at a street intersection in the City of Cheyenne. The case was tried to a jury resulting in a verdict in the sum of $18,715.15. A judgment was entered in that amount and defendant appeals.

[446]*446Plaintiff sets forth in her petition that on the 16th day of December, 1949 at 9 o’clock P.M., on west 16th Street, in the City of Cheyenne, while riding in an automobile owned and driven by her husband, Horace E. Chandler, and proceeding easterly on west 16th Street and when about to turn north at the intersection of west 16th Street and Snyder Avenue, the defendant, who was driving an automobile in a “westerly direction on west 16th Street collided with and struck the automobile being operated and driven by Horace E. Chandler in which plaintiff was riding.” It is alleged that the automobile being driven by the defendant at the time of the collision was operated by him in a careless, negligent, wanton, unlawful and reckless manner in his failing to have the automobile under proper and reasonable control so as not to endanger the life and property of plaintiff; in operating the automobile at a high, unlawful, dangerous and excessive speed, i.e. 50 miles per hour, greater than reasonable and prudent under the conditions there existing; in failing to keep the automobile under adequate and proper control; in operating the automobile at such excessive speed it could not be stopped within the assured clear distance ahead; in failing to keep a proper lookout for vehicles upon the street before him and in failing to discover the automobile driven by the plaintiff’s husband in time to avoid the collision and resulting damage to plaintiff; when by careful, prudent action on his part he could have controlled his automobile so as to have avoided running into and injuring plaintiff after he discovered, or by the exercise of ordinary care, should have discovered that plaintiff and the automobile in which plaintiff was riding were in a place of danger; in failing to properly steer, control and stop the automobile and in violating the provisions of Sec. 60-501 W.C.S. 1945 and Sec. 18-501-902-903 of the Ordinances of the City of Cheyenne governing the operation of [447]*447automobiles. That by reason of the foregoing it is alleged the plaintiff suffered injuries and damages to the extent of $50,509.15.

To this petition defendant, by his Amended Answer, entered a General Denial except he admits the collision at the time and place alleged and that plaintiff was a passenger in the automobile owned by Horace E. Chandler, being driven by him in an easterly direction and that defendant Dugan was driving along west 16th Street at the time of the collision. For a second defense defendant alleges that plaintiff and Horace E. Chandler were cooperating in a joint enterprise at the time of the collision; that the sole and proximate cause of plaintiff’s injuries was the negligence of her husband, Horace E. Chandler, in commencing a U turn some 75 or 100 feet west of Snyder Avenue on west 16th Street and after completing the U turn “crashed headlong into the car of the defendant on the left-hand side of the street.” For a third defense it is alleged that the sole and proximate cause of the collision was the negligence of plaintiff in failing to look back along the highway when she could have seen the automobile of defendant approaching and in failing to notify her husband, the driver, so that he could avoid the collision.

For a fourth defense it is alleged that the negligent conduct of the driver, the husband, in making a U turn between intersections from a point off the highway onto and into the wrong lane of traffic was imputed to the plaintiff who was riding with him and who knew, or should have known of her husband’s proposed negligence and who was then and there charged with the duty of warning him and admonishing him not to continue in such a negligent manner. The reply to all defenses was a General Denial.

Defendant and appellant sets forth five specifications of error. The first four having to do with; (1) motion [448]*448for directed verdict at close of plaintiff’s case; (2) motion at close of all the evidence for directed verdict; (3) the entry of the judgment for $18,715.15; (4) motion for judgment notwithstanding the verdict, all of the foregoing on the ground that there was insufficient evidence and that the ruling of the court was contrary to law and the evidence. The fifth specification of error states that there was error in overruling defendant’s motion for a new trial because of irregularity and misconduct of the prevailing party, that the damages were excessive, given under the influence of passion and prejudice; that there was newly discovered evidence material for the defendant which he could not with reasonable diligence have discovered and produced on trial.

Briefly stated, the evidence establishes the following facts and circumstances: Defendant was alone in his car driving west on west 16th Street at about 8:55 P.M. on December 16, 1949. “I was going at a reasonable rate of speed — about 25 or 30 miles per hour.” As he came over the hill, which lies east of Snyder Avenue, he could see the road ahead and the intersection of the streets, west 16th and Snyder Avenue. He first saw the Chandler car as he entered the intersection of Snyder Avenue and 16th Street. Before that defendant hadn’t seen a car in either lane of traffic. The first thing defendant saw, “was the lights on this oncoming car just directly in front of me. Upon seeing those I applied my brakes, tried to turn left, which would be south into the center of the road. This car, it seemed to be when it was coming away — this is my car (indicating); I am going west. As I say, this is my car (indicating). The car was coming directly towards me but it seemed as if it was coming toward my right side, in my lane of traffic.”

[449]*449“You, as a matter of fact, then know nothing about Mr. Chandler’s course of driving?” “No, I don’t, I am sorry to say.” The only time defendant saw the Chandler car was just at the point of impact of collision. When asked, “where do you think he came from?” he answered, “That beats me.”

It is agreed that the point of collision is at a point 25 feet from the north curb line of 16th Street directly in line with an extension of the west curb line of Snyder Avenue, the cars having collided at that point. Other testimony shows that the point of impact on a north-south line is about 7 feet north of the center line of 16th Street. Photographs Exhibit 3 of plaintiff’s car and Exhibit 2 of defendant’s car both show more damage on the right side of each car than on the left side. The photographs indicate that the collision was headon.

Harold Chandler testified that he was driving his own car, his wife, the plaintiff, beside him in the front seat and a Mr. Dewey sitting beside plaintiff. West 16th Street is approximately 63 feet wide.

Free access — add to your briefcase to read the full text and ask questions with AI

Related

Brown v. State
816 P.2d 818 (Wyoming Supreme Court, 1991)
Century Ready-Mix Co. v. Campbell County School District
816 P.2d 795 (Wyoming Supreme Court, 1991)
Coryell v. Town of Pinedale
745 P.2d 883 (Wyoming Supreme Court, 1987)
England v. Simmons
728 P.2d 1137 (Wyoming Supreme Court, 1986)
Fegler Ex Rel. Fegler v. Brodie
574 P.2d 751 (Wyoming Supreme Court, 1978)
John B. Roden, Jr., Inc. v. Davis
460 P.2d 209 (Wyoming Supreme Court, 1969)
Mooneyham v. Kays
405 P.2d 267 (Wyoming Supreme Court, 1965)
Watson v. Bell
388 P.2d 199 (Wyoming Supreme Court, 1964)
Pan American Petroleum Corporation v. Like
381 P.2d 70 (Wyoming Supreme Court, 1963)
Cimoli v. Greyhound Corporation
372 P.2d 170 (Wyoming Supreme Court, 1962)
Stilwell Ex Rel. Stilwell v. Nation
363 P.2d 916 (Wyoming Supreme Court, 1961)
McDowall v. Walters
360 P.2d 165 (Wyoming Supreme Court, 1961)
Convoy Company v. Dana
359 P.2d 885 (Wyoming Supreme Court, 1961)
Porter v. Wilson
357 P.2d 309 (Wyoming Supreme Court, 1960)
Frazier v. Pokorny
349 P.2d 324 (Wyoming Supreme Court, 1960)
Slover v. Harris
314 P.2d 953 (Wyoming Supreme Court, 1957)
Tyler v. Jensen
295 P.2d 742 (Wyoming Supreme Court, 1956)
Hawkey v. Williams
281 P.2d 447 (Wyoming Supreme Court, 1955)

Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
251 P.2d 580, 70 Wyo. 439, 1952 Wyo. LEXIS 46, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/chandler-v-dugan-wyo-1952.