Henry v. Baker

419 S.W.2d 486, 1967 Mo. App. LEXIS 727
CourtMissouri Court of Appeals
DecidedApril 3, 1967
DocketNo. 24607
StatusPublished
Cited by4 cases

This text of 419 S.W.2d 486 (Henry v. Baker) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Missouri Court of Appeals primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Henry v. Baker, 419 S.W.2d 486, 1967 Mo. App. LEXIS 727 (Mo. Ct. App. 1967).

Opinion

SPERRY, Commissioner.

Plaintiff is the surviving spouse of John Henry, who was killed when the automobile which he was operating collided with an automobile being operated by defendant, Albert Baker. This action is one for the wrongful death of Mr. Henry. From a jury verdict for $10,000.00 damages, and the judgment thereon, defendant appeals.

The collision occurred within the T intersection of Victoria Lane and Boone County, Missouri, route K, within the limits of Columbia, Missouri. Route K is a thirty two feet wide, north-south, two lane asphalt highway. Victoria is a gravelled road running east off of route K. There was a light mist falling and the surface of route K was wet. Deceased was proceeding south on route K, approaching Victoria, where he would then turn east two blocks to his home. Defendant was proceeding northward on route K, near the intersection. The accident occurred at about noon February 6th, 1965.

Mr. Roe testified to the effect that he was a photographer for the police depart[488]*488ment of Columbia. He identified Exhibits as pictures which he took of the highway-near the scene of the collision, shortly thereafter. Exhibit 2 depicts the city limit sign, on highway K, taken from a point fifty feet south thereof, with the camera pointed north. The speed limit is clearly shown as forty five miles per hour. The witness stated that the sign could be seen from a point four tenths of a mile south, by speedometer measurement. One picture, taken from a point two hundred fifty feet south of Victoria, looking north along highway K, shows an automobile making a left turn into Victoria. The witness stated that the drivers of each of two cars, similarly located, could have seen each other; but this picture was taken on a clear day.

An ordinance, introduced in evidence, provides a speed limit of forty five miles per hour at the points material to this law suit.

Pictures of the two cars, at the scene of the accident, were in evidence. The entire fronts of both vehicles were damaged. Plaintiff’s medical Exhibit IS contains a list of seventeen separate and serious injuries received by deceased, from which he died, February 18th, 1965. Since no question of the excessiveness of the judgment is presented we will not set out further medical evidence.

Deceased’s son stated that he was the second to arrive at the scene of the collision; that deceased was seated behind the steering wheel, in his car; that the steering wheel was broken from the column; that the door was open and jammed; that deceased’s car was on its side of the roadway but was crosswise with the line of traffic; that the entire front of the car had received the blow; that the debris was in the center of the highway; that the deceased’s leg was broken and the right knee bone protruded through the skin and clothing.

Mr. Russell, an employee of defendant at the time of the accident, stated that he was riding in the right front seat of the Baker car when the collision occurred; that the car was travelling at fifty to fifty five miles per hour as it approached the intersection; that his estimate of speed was based on the rapidity with which fixed objects were passed; that he was from two hundred to two hundred fifty feet from the Henry car when he first saw it coming south in the west traffic lane of K, about one foot west of the center line; that when the collision occurred, it was about one foot east of the center line; that, from the time he first saw it, deceased’s car travelled from west to east three or some three and one half feet during that time; that it had travelled a total distance of from eighteen to twenty feet from the time he first saw it until the collision occurred; that it was travelling at a speed of six or seven miles per hour; that, during that time, defendant’s car travelled from two hundred to two hundred fifty feet; that defendant did not attempt to swerve his car and gave no signal; that, during this period of time, defendant was talking to witness about his clothing and was, from time to time, looking at witness; that, when he first saw it, deceased’s car was “starting” to move left; that the bumper was the only part of the car that was east of the center line when the collision occurred; that there was room to swerve the defendant’s car, either right or left, and thereby avoid the collision; that defendant could also have swerved left onto a side road; that deceased’s car was still moving when it was struck; that defendant applied the brakes hard when about ninety feet south of deceased; that the front bumper of deceased’s car had moved across the line at that time; that defendant’s car skidded in its line of traffic, and almost turned around. On cross examination the witness gave some testimony that appeared to be confusing as to distances but, on redirect, he repeated that the distance between the cars when he first saw deceased’s car approaching was two hundred to two hundred fifty feet.

There was testimony from a graduate in engineering mechanics to the effect that, [489]*489if car No. 1 travelled eighteen feet at seven miles per hour, while car No. 2 travelled one hundred eighty two feet, then car No. 2 travelled at the rate of seventy one miles per hour; that, if car No. 1 travelled twenty feet while car No. 2 travelled two hundred feet, then No. 2 travelled at a speed of sixty nine miles per hour; and if No. 1 moved twenty feet while No. 2 moved two hundred feet, then No. 2 trav-elled at the rate of sixty three miles per hour. The witness testified as to other speeds applicable under the testimony in this case, from which the jury could have found that defendant’s car was travelling, prior to the collision, at a speed of from fifty four to ninety one miles per hour.

Police officer Antimi stated that, when he arrived at the scene, neither car had been moved since the collision; that defendant’s car was twenty nine feet north of Victoria, headed west; that deceased’s car was sitting east-west, with the front bumper twenty four feet east of the west edge of the pavement of K; that the cars hit “a little more head-on” , and that both moved several feet after the collision occurred.

Defendant stated that his speed was less than forty five miles per hour as he approached Victoria; that plaintiff’s car made a sudden left turn in front of him, with no warning; that defendant immediately applied his brakes; that his car went to the east side of K, spun around, and hit deceased’s car “just as it was approaching Victoria”. On cross examination defendant stated that a moving car would travel, in feet, one and one half times its speed per mile, per second; that defendant’s car travelled eighty feet after he saw deceased’s car before the collision; that his windshield wipers were on. He admitted that he had been convicted of a crime involving fraud and deceit.

Plaintiff produced four witnesses, substantial citizens, who stated that defendant’s reputation for truth and veracity was bad.

The case was submitted on the issues of defendant’s negligence in failing to keep a careful lookout, failing to slacken speed and swerve, and operating his motor vehicle at a speed in excess of forty five miles per hour in violation of the ordinance. Defendant submitted contributory negligence of plaintiff, because of his failure to keep a careful lookout, and failure to yield the right of way.

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Bluebook (online)
419 S.W.2d 486, 1967 Mo. App. LEXIS 727, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/henry-v-baker-moctapp-1967.