Miles v. State

129 N.E. 10, 189 Ind. 691, 1920 Ind. LEXIS 75
CourtIndiana Supreme Court
DecidedDecember 14, 1920
DocketNo. 23,749
StatusPublished
Cited by10 cases

This text of 129 N.E. 10 (Miles v. State) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Indiana Supreme Court primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Miles v. State, 129 N.E. 10, 189 Ind. 691, 1920 Ind. LEXIS 75 (Ind. 1920).

Opinion

Lairy, J.

Appellant was charged by an indictment in one count with the crime of involuntary manslaughter. A trial resulted in a verdict of guilty,- and judgment was rendered ón the verdict. From the judgment so rendered this appeal is prosecuted,

1-2. A motion to quash the indictment on the ground that it did not state facts sufficient to constitute a public offense was filed and ovérruled. This ruling is assigned as' error. The indictment does state sufficient facts to constitute a public offense; and, as it was not challenged on other grounds by the motion to quash, the trial court did not err in overruling such motion.

For the reasons just stated, no error was committed in overruling appellant’s motion in arrest of judgment.

3. The action of the trial court in overruling appellant’s motion for a new trial is the only other error assigned. Appellant by his brief waives all specifications of this motion relating to the admission and exclusion of evidence, and expressly admits that there is some evidence to sustain every essential element of the crime charged. This •eliminates the consideration of the specifications of the motion challenging the sufficiency of the evidence to sustain the verdict.

Appellant earnestly presents for consideration the rulings of the trial court in giving certain instructions to the jury and in refusing to give certain instructions tendered by appellant. It is asserted that [694]*694some.'ofvíthhfixist'ruetions igiven'4ó-¿íDt'"có'rréctLy"státe the law applicable to the evidence, and that -'the jury was misled thereby to the-prejudice^ of ¡.appellant. -Appellant directs his objections particularly - to 'instructions Nos. 8, 9. and 10,. given by the , court ,at the request,.of, the state,'which i#structions are set out in 1 full:

_ No. 8-"If you find from the evidence in this .cause that the defendant at the time the offense charged, was committed, if it was committed, was driving an automobile on a public highway outside of any incorporated city, town or village, at a rate of speed as would. endanger the safetey of others using such a highway, highway, and in reckless disregard of the. probable consequence thereof,, and knew or should have known that said rate of speed having regard to the traffic and use of such, highway would endanger, the safety of others then I instruct you that you would be authorized, in such case, to find that the defendant intended ,to commit the injury, if any resulting from such conduct.”

No. 9 — “If you find frqm flip -evidence that the defendant was operating or driving an automobile on a. public 'highway outside of any incorporated city, town,,or village, at a speed greater than, 2’5 .miles per ho##,, the# ,1, instruct, you .that .such, speed was unlawful, and-if you further find, from the evidence,’.that by reason of such unlawful speed, if you so find a collision occurred proximately causing the death of one William C. Barton, then you would be authorized to find the defendant guilty as charged. "

No.10 — “The States is not required to prove that the defendant was driving his automobile at a speed [695]*695of fifty railes per hour ¡but it will be sufficient if-you find from the evidence either, that at the time* of the collision the defendant was driving or operating* The ■automobile in question at a speed greater than that ■permitted by law or-at a speed greater than *was reasonable. or prudent having regard to the traffic-and use. of the way and such as to endanger the'life-or limb,or property of any person using such highway.”

These instructions are apparently based on §10476c Burns 1914, Acts 1913' p. 779. This section ¡reads’as ■follows: .“No person shall drive -or .operate a motor vehicle or motor bicycle upon any public highway in •the ¡ state at a speed -greater than, is reasonable or ¡■prudent,.having regard to. the traffic and the use*of the way or so as to endanger the life' or limb or-injure -the property.of any person. If the rate of speed of any motor vehicle- or motor, bicycle’ operated upon any ■ public .highway or other place in-this state where the same passes through the closely built up business por- - tion of any incorporated city, town or village exceeds ten (10) miles an hour or if the rate of speed of any : motor vehicle or motor bicycle operated or driven on any public highway in the state, where the same passes Through the residence-portion of any 'incorporated eityj town or village exceeds fifteen (15)- miles an hour or if 'the rate of . speed of any motor vehicle or motor bicycle operated on.any public, highway in • this, state': outside the closely built up business portions . alxd- The residence pórtions within any ¡ incorporated: city, town or village exceeds twenty (20) miles an-hour- or upon any public highway outside, of the-limits-of an incorporated city or town or, village if- the .rate of speed' exceed.twenty-;five ¡(25)¡-miles ■per-hour,-such rate of speed- shall Reprima .facie evi[696]*696dence that the person operating such motor vehicle or motor bicycle is running at a rate of speed greater than is reasonable and prudent having regard to the traffic and use of the way or so to endanger the life or limb or injure the property of any person. If the rate of speed * * * of a motor vehicle or motor bicycle operated or driven- on any public highway or other public place in this state in going around a corner or curve in a highway or other public place where the operator’s view of the road traffic is obstructed exceeds six (6) miles an hour, such rate of speed shall be prima facie evidence that the person operating or driving such motor vehicle or motor bicycle is running at a rate of speed greater than is reasonable and having- regard to the traffic and use of the way or so as to endanger the life or limb or injure the property of any person: Provided, That the local authorities may set aside for a given time a specified public highway for speed contests or races, to be conducted under proper restrictions for the safety of the public.”

4. When reduced to the last analysis, the provisions of this statute require that drivers of all motor vehicles or motor bicycles on the highways of the state shall operate them at all places and under all conditions at' such a rate of speed and in such a manner as a person of ordinary prudence would adopt in operating a similar motor vehicle, under like conditions, having regard to traffic conditions and the use of the way and to the probable danger to the persons and property of others. Any speed in excess of that which is reasonable and prudent, having regard to traffic and the use of the way and to the probable danger to the person and [697]*697property of others, is forbidden. By §19 of the act (§10476f Burns 1914, Acts 1913 p. 779) the violation of any provision of the section quoted is declared to be a misdemeanor punishable by a fine not exceeding $100.

5. At common law a person driving or controlling any kind of conveyance or vehicle on a public highway was required to exercise ordinary care for the safety of others on the highway. Due care at common law was such care as a person of ordinary prudencé would exercise under like conditions and circumstances.

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Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
129 N.E. 10, 189 Ind. 691, 1920 Ind. LEXIS 75, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/miles-v-state-ind-1920.