Johnson v. Harris

615 A.2d 771, 419 Pa. Super. 541, 1992 Pa. Super. LEXIS 3776
CourtSuperior Court of Pennsylvania
DecidedNovember 5, 1992
Docket391
StatusPublished
Cited by50 cases

This text of 615 A.2d 771 (Johnson v. Harris) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Superior Court of Pennsylvania primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Johnson v. Harris, 615 A.2d 771, 419 Pa. Super. 541, 1992 Pa. Super. LEXIS 3776 (Pa. Ct. App. 1992).

Opinion

CAVANAUGH, Judge.

This is an appeal from a December 23,1991 order granting summary judgment to the appellees, several establishments which allegedly sold the appellants alcoholic beverages prior to their involvement in a one-vehicle accident. The lower court determined, based on the record properly before it, that no trial worthy issue of material fact existed as to whether the driver of the accident vehicle, Jane Harris, had been served alcohol by the appellees while visibly intoxicated. The Court accordingly found that the appellees could not be found liable under the Pennsylvania Dram Shop Act, 47 Pa.S.A. § 4-493(1), which subjects a purveyor of alcoholic beverages to liability for the injuries caused by persons served while visibly intoxicated. After reviewing the parties’ briefs and the record, we are constrained to agree that summary judgment was appropriately granted in this case. We affirm.

*545 The relevant facts and procedural history are as follows. This case arises out of a one-vehicle accident which occurred at approximately 9:40 p.m. on December 21, 1988. Appellant Jane Harris (“Harris”) was the driver of the vehicle, and appellant Ken Johnson (“Johnson”) was her passenger. Johnson sustained serious injuries in the accident. Harris and Johnson are friends, who prior to the accident, had, on occasion, frequented several different local drinking establishments together. Subsequent to the accident, Johnson commenced a civil action against Harris and various dispensers which had allegedly sold them alcoholic beverages that day, appellees the Sunbury Eagles, the Milton Eagles, the Milton Legion Home Association and Ken Aikey and Delores Aikey, jointly and individually and t/d/b/a The Halfway House. Johnson alleged that the appellees violated the Dram Shop Act, 47 Pa.S.A. § 4-101 et seq., by serving Harris alcohol while she was “visibly intoxicated.”

There was evidence that at approximately noon on December 21, 1988, Harris drove to Johnson’s mother’s house, where Johnson lives, and picked him up. They traveled to the Chestnut Street Inn, where they both had approximately three (3) 12-ounce bottles of Genny Lite beer. Both appellants recalled that there was a bartender and several customers in the Inn, although they do not remember their names. At approximately 1:00 p.m., Harris and Johnson walked to the nearby Sunbury Eagles, where there was a female bartender and a few patrons. Johnson recognized the bartender and several of the patrons, although he did not know their names. At the Sunbury Eagles, they consumed several 16 ounce Genny Lite beers, although their testimony differs as to how many beers. Johnson believes they each had about six (6) to eight (8) beers, while Harris recalls that together they shared three (3) beers, with her consuming one (1). After watching a movie, Harris drove Johnson to another club, the Milton Eagles. Harris stated that the bar was full of people when they left it. Johnson did not notice anything peculiar about her or her driving at that time.

*546 Both Johnson and Harris’ memory is hazy in relation to what occurred subsequently. Johnson remembers being at the Milton Eagles, but does not recall what he did there. He remembers later being at the Milton American Legion, where he gambled and drank beer. Although initially stating he did not remember whether he went to The Halfway House, he later vaguely recalled stopping there. He distinctly remembers that it was his impression that Harris was not intoxicated the night of the accident. Harris recalls being at the Milton Eagles and the Milton American Legion, and having Genny Lite beer at both. She does not remember how much she drank at each place, nor whether she went to The Halfway House that night. She recalls leaving the Milton American Legion sometime after six o’clock.

An affidavit submitted by a bartender at The Halfway House, Delores Aikey, indicates that Johnson and Harris came into the bar at approximately 7:45 p.m. The affidavit states that neither appellant was served alcoholic beverages, and that after Johnson used the bathroom, both left the bar. All parties agree that the accident happened at approximately 9:40 p.m.

This lawsuit originated by a writ of summons filed by Johnson and sent to Harris and the appellees on March 16, 1989. On May 17, 1989, Johnson filed interrogatories and requests for production. On September 16, 1990, Johnson filed his Complaint, which was subsequently answered by the appellees. The appellees filed for summary judgment in June, July and August of 1991. In their motions, all the appellees referred to the deposition testimony of Johnson and Harris as failing to indicate any evidence that Harris was served alcohol while she was visibly intoxicated. Johnson responded on November 26, 1990, by filing the affidavit of Donald K. Weaver, M.D.

The lower court granted appellees’ motions on December 28, 1991. In ruling on the summary judgment motions, the court noted that the only evidence Johnson produced that indicated Harris was visibly intoxicated was an affidavit compiled by Donald K. Weaver, M.D. In pertinent part, it states:

*547 “In reference to ... [this] ... matter, I have reviewed the following documents:
1. The police report;
2. The toxicology report as well as copies of lab tests of Jane Harris from the Geisinger Medical Center from her hospitalization which began December 21,1988. The report indicates a blood level at .226;
3. A copy of the transcript of deposition of Jane Harris taken November 1, 1989;
4. A copy of the deposition of Ken Johnson taken January 30, 1990.
After reviewing the above documents, I have had the following observations:
1. It is probable that the blood alcohol concentration of Jane Harris was 0.226 or higher at the time of the accident and was close to this level at the Halfway House and when she left the Legion in Milton;
2. At the other end of the day, Ms. Harris’ blood alcohol concentration would have been around 0.07 when she began drinking at the Sunbury Eagles.
Ms. Harris’ blood alcohol concentration would have exceeded 0.10% during the time when she was drinking at the Sunbury Eagles and probably would have exceeded 0.15 by the time they left the Sunbury Eagles.
Ms. Harris’ blood alcohol concentration would have been about 0.15% or greater while drinking at the Eagles in Milton and subsequently at the Legion in Milton.
Based on my experience, a person with a blood alcohol content of 0.10% or greater has the following visible signes [sic] of intoxication:
A A decreased capacity for hearing resulting in a person usually speaking louder;
B. Decreased dexterity typically resulting in sudden awkward movements;
C. Motor skills diminished;
D. A person’s reaction time is compromised.

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Bluebook (online)
615 A.2d 771, 419 Pa. Super. 541, 1992 Pa. Super. LEXIS 3776, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/johnson-v-harris-pasuperct-1992.