Lofton v. Cottingham

172 So. 377
CourtLouisiana Court of Appeal
DecidedFebruary 5, 1937
DocketNo. 5298.
StatusPublished
Cited by12 cases

This text of 172 So. 377 (Lofton v. Cottingham) 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
Lofton v. Cottingham, 172 So. 377 (La. Ct. App. 1937).

Opinion

HAMITER, Judge.

An eleven year old boy, Matt Dow Lof-ton, sustained the loss of his right eye in an automobile accident which occurred at or near the entrance of the Rapides Golf and Country Club on United States Highway No. 165, within the corporate limits of the City of Pineville. At the time of this unfortunate event the injured child was a guest pessenger in a Ford V-8 coupé driven by Dr. Claybrook Cottingham, president of Louisiana College, and which collided with a Dodge automobile operated by one Guy Miley.

The youth’s father instituted this suit solely against Dr. Cottingham, seeking a judgment of $14,000 for the use and benefit, of his son, and one of $111.70 for medical and hospital expenses incurred by him.

Numerous acts of negligence are attributed to the defendant.

The answer, in effect, denies all negligence and responsibility for the accident on the part of defendant, and avers that the injury complained of resulted exclusively and, solely from the negligent operation of the Dodge car. It is not contended that the youth was contributorily negligent.

The district court, after a trial on the merits, rendered judgment rejecting the demands of plaintiff at his cost. This appeal was then prosecuted and perfected by plaintiff.

United States Highway No. 165 is a paved thoroughfare which runs from the City of Alexandria in a general northerly direction through Pineville and to the City of Monroe and accommodates considerable vehicular traffic. At and near the scene of the collision its paved portion is 20 feet in width and it pursues a straight course in a northerly and southerly direction. East of and adjoining the highway, at the place in question, lies a golf course operated by the Rapides Golf and Country Club. Situated on these grounds, approximately 200 feet from the highway, is a parkway used by guests and members of the club for the parking of their automobiles. A dirt road proceeds a few feet in a southerly direc-' tion from this parkway, then curves to the right, and courses west into but not across Highway No. 165. Between the golf course and the paved road is a wire *379 fence which is located a distance of 20 feet from and parallel to said road. This fence is supported by concrete posts which are 100 feet apart, except at the entrance to the grounds. At this point a distance of 20 feet separates the two entrance posts. There is no gate at this location, but a •cattle guard lies between the two columns.

At the time of the accident, a view-obstructing hedge bordered the south side of the dirt road for a distance of approximately 40 feet from the south entrance post toward the. parkway. Across the paved highway from and a few feet north of the ■entrance is a 12-foot driveway leading west into the premises of Mr. H. F. Bradford. The corporate boundary of the City of Pineville is about 300 feet north of the aforementioned entrance. Ordinances of that municipality permit a maximum speed of 30 miles per hour ,along the highway.

A map found in the record fixes the elevation of the center of the highway, at its intersection with the dirt road, at 100 feet. The engineer who prepared the map explained this to be merely an arbitrary and convenient fixing on which the hereafter referred to elevations are based. At a point on the pavement 412 feet south of the intersection, this being in the direction toward Alexandria, the elevation is 112.5 feet, or 12.5 feet higher than at the intersection. Approximately 225 feet beyond, the elevation is given as 108.3 feet. In other words, proceeding in a northerly direction from a point 637 feet south of the intersection, the paved thoroughfare inclines 4.2 feet in elevation for a distance of 225 feet, and then falls 12.5 feet during the 412 foot stretch to the entrance place. The decline in elevation from the crest of the hill to the intersection of the dirt road and the highway may be said to be about 3 feet in 100 feet.

The given elevation at the above-mention parkway is 110 feet, while at a point on the dirt road about equidistant between the parkway and the highway it is 105 feet.

The undisputed material facts surrounding the accident, as we find them, are as follows: On the afternoon of May 18, 1935, about 5:30 o’clock, after Dr. Cotting-ham had played golf and while he was proceeding toward his car which was sitting on the parkway of the golf club grounds, permission to ride with him was asked by Matt Dow Lofton, a caddie. This request was granted by defendant and both of them entered the Ford V-8 coupé. The machine was then turned around, and started along the dirt road. After traveling a short distance, the driver stopped and passed a few words with some golfers who were near. He then drove on toward the entrance, proceeding on the declining dirt road at a moderate rate of speed. After negotiating the curve in the driveway, he slowed his machine, looked to the right, and saw no car near enough to interfere with his traveling onto the pavement. His attention was then directed to the left, and was continued there until he reached the view-obstructing hedge which began 40 feet from the entrance. Having observed no car coming along the highway from the direction of Alexandria within a distance of over 500 feet, he proceeded along the hedge and through and past the entrance at a speed of perhaps 6 or 8 miles per hour, but not exceeding 10 miles an hour.

While the front end of defendant’s car was yet on the driveway about 6 feet from the edge of the highway, he being about 11 feet therefrom by reason of the 5-foot distance from said front to the driver’s seat, he observed the Dodge car traveling toward the intersection from the direction of Alexandria and on its right side of the pavement. Instead of stopping his machine, defendant accelerated its speed and executed a left turn onto and across the highway. As the Ford started onto the pavement, the brakes on the Dodge car were applied, and that machine left its right-hand side of the road and coursed diagonally to its left. A skid mark approximately 61 feet long, apparently made by the left rear wheel of the Dodge, pursued that course. The collision then occurred. All occupants of the two vehicles were injured, and both cars were damaged. The Ford V-8 came to rest in the Bradford driveway, while the Dodge plunged into the fence of Mr. Bradford’s premises a short distance south of that place.

Dr. Cottingham had played golf at this club for thirteen years on an average of three times a week. He had used the above-described entrance on each occasion, and was familiar with every detail surrounding it.

There is a dispute with reference to the speed of the Dodge car and its location when the Ford V-8 started onto the highway, and also as to the exact point where the collision took place. The testimony of plaintiff’s witnesses is to the effect that the Dodge was traveling at the rate of 30 or

*380 35 miles per hour, and was 60 feet away when defendant’s car appeared; that the accident took place immediately in front of the entrance; and that the Ford had not completed its left turn when struck, but was in approximately a 45 degree angle with the highway. Defendant testified that the Miley machine was between 150 and 200 feet from him and was speeding at 60 miles per hour, or more, when he first saw it.

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Bluebook (online)
172 So. 377, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/lofton-v-cottingham-lactapp-1937.