Meyers v. Winona Interurban Railway Co.

106 N.E. 377, 58 Ind. App. 516, 1914 Ind. App. LEXIS 196
Indiana Court of Appeals·Decided October 13, 1914·No. No. 8,391·Published·Cited by 6 cases

Opinion

Hottel, J.

[518] 1. [517] Appellant sued appellee to recover damages for personal injuries to himself and for the destruction of his automobile caused by a collision between such automobile and one of appellee’s cars at a public crossing in the city of Peru, Indiana. The issues of fact were presented by a complaint in four paragraphs and an answer in general denial. The third paragraph of complaint was withdrawn and a trial by jury on the remaining paragraphs resulted in a general verdict in favor of appellant for $860. With the general verdict, the jury returned answers to interrogatories submitted to it.- Over appellant’s motion for judgment'on the general verdict, a motion for judgment in favor of appellee on the answers to interrogatories notwithstanding such verdict was sustained, and judgment rendered accordingly. The rulings on the motion present the only question [518] to' be determined by this appeal.. The only things to be considered in determining such question are the complaint, the answers thereto, the interrogatories and answers, and the general verdict. American Car, etc., Co. v. Adams (1912), 178 Ind. 607, 614, 99 N E. 993; Ittenbach v. Thomas (1911), 48 Ind. App. 420, 426, 96 N. E. 21; Jeffersonville Mfg. Co. v. Holden (1913), 180 Ind. 301, 102 N. E. 21.

It is shown by the answers to interrogatories and not disputed by either of the parties that at the time the collision in question occurred, the appellee was operating an electric railway from Peru, Indiana, to Chili, Indiana, and that the collision occurred at the intersection of Jackson Avenue and Chili Avenue in the city of Peru. Jackson Avenue runs in a general direction, east and west, and Chili Avenue runs north and south, across Jackson Avenue. Appellee’s railway tracks are laid on Jackson Avenue. One of appellee’s cars, in charge of its employes, approached Chili Avenue from the west, while appellant in his automobile approached Jackson Avenue from the north. There was an ordinance of the city of -Peru in force at that time, limiting the speed of electric and interurban cars within the city limits to six miles per hour. The first and second paragraphs of complaint are based on this ordinance and charge that the collision was caused by appellee negligently running its car in excess of the speed limit therein provided, and we are of the opinion that the answers to interrogatories are inconsistent with a verdict based on either of these paragraphs.

2. It is, however, earnestly insisted by appeEant, that the averments of his fourth paragraph of complaint require the application of the last clear chance doctrine and that, under such paragraph, proof might have been offered which would show that there was no irreconcilable conflict between the general verdict and the answers to the interrogatories. This paragraph contains, among others, in substance, the foEowing averments: While appellant was [519] in the act of crossing the street and tracks, and while he was exercising dne care and caution in so doing, the defendant, wrongfully, carelessly and negligently ran one of its interurban electric cars along its railway on Jackson Avénue, and toward and upon the crossing of Ohili Avenue at its usual high rate of speed, and without the application of any brakes to the car as it approached the crossing, and without the car and the brakes thereof being under control of the employe in charge thereof. Plaintiff’s view, while he was approaching said crossing, was obscured by a cement block building and large billboard. When he arrived at a point where he could see westerly along the defendant’s tracks on Jackson Avenue, he saw'defendant’s car about seventy-five feet from the crossing, approaching and so near that appellant was unable to stop his automobile. To prevent, if possible, a collision, he turned his ear by a sharp turn to the left. An electric car approaching the crossing from the west, running eight miles per hour, could be stopped within a distance of fifty feet. The motorman in charge of and running the electric interurban car, at the time, by exercising ordinary care, could see, and he did see, appellant turn his automobile, and saw appellant try to avoid a collision. The motorman saw appellant’s danger, as aforesaid, and saw and knew that a collision would occur if he did not stop the car, but he made no effort to apply the brake or use any appliance for the stopping of the ear and carelessly and negligently ran the car on -and over the crossing and against and upon the automobile, while appellant was, as aforesaid, trying to prevent such collision. Said motorman saw appellant on the crossing, and saw him trying to avert a collision, and by the exercise of ordinary care after so seeing appellant, could have stopped the car, but made no effort to stop such car. By reason of the failure of defendant’s motorman to stop his car, there was a collision between such car and appellant’s automobile. This paragraph clearly invokes the doctrine of last clear chance [520] and is entirely sufficient on this theory. Indianapolis Traction, etc., Co. v. Croly (1913), 54 Ind. App. 566, 96 N. E. 973, 98 N. E. 1091; Wabash R. Co. v. Tippecanoe, etc., Trust Co. (1912), 178 Ind. 113, 121, 98 N. E. 64; Terre Haute, etc., Traction Co. v. Green (1912), 49 Ind. App. 309, 97 N. E. 243; Evansville, etc., Traction Co. v. Johnson (1913), 54 Ind. App. 601, 97 N. E. 176; Schilling v. Indianapolis, etc., Traction Co. (1912), 51 Ind. App. 131, 96 N. E. 167, 97 N. E. 124; Evansville, etc., Traction Co. v. Spiegel (1912), 49 Ind. App. 412, 94 N. E. 718, 97 N. E. 949.

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Meyers v. Winona Interurban Railway Co., 106 N.E. 377, 58 Ind. App. 516, 1914 Ind. App. LEXIS 196 (Ind. Ct. App. 1914).

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