Moore v. Jacobsen

263 P.2d 713, 127 Mont. 341
CourtMontana Supreme Court
DecidedDecember 2, 1953
Docket9227
StatusPublished
Cited by7 cases

This text of 263 P.2d 713 (Moore v. Jacobsen) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Montana Supreme Court primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Moore v. Jacobsen, 263 P.2d 713, 127 Mont. 341 (Mo. 1953).

Opinions

MR. JUSTICE ANGSTMAN:

Plaintiff was injured by being struck by an automobile driven by defendant, Soren Jacobsen, son of defendant Ingolf Jacob-sen. He brought this action to recover damages sustained by him. The jury returned a verdict in his favor against both defendants in the sum of $1,853.90. Defendant’s motion for a new trial was denied and they have appealed from the judgment entered on the verdict.

The accident occurred at about 9 :30 p. m. on November 18, 1950, on the highway about 3% miles in a westerly direction from Fairview, Montana. The events preceding and leading up [343]*343to the accident were these: Plaintiff and one Stanley Peterson left the Jake Latka farm after work and traveled by automobile to Fairview where they had at least six drinks of whiskey and then started in the same automobile, a Studebaker, to another farm home west of Fairview. Harvey Nelson joined them at Fairview for the latter journey. The car was driven by Stanley Petersen; at about 3% miles west of Fairview, and as they had passed over the brow of a hill the motor failed; the car was permitted to coast down the hill about 750 feet and then brought to a stop on the oiled portion of the highway and in the right-hand lane of traffic; the highway at that point was 25 feet wide with no painted center line; while the car was thus parked plaintiff and Harvey Nelson got out of the car; plaintiff was attempting to attach a trouble light to the battery located under the hood of the car, standing to the left of the ear with his head under the hood in so doing; at the direction of plaintiff the lights on the car were turned off while he was attempting to attach the light to the battery; a few seconds after the lights were turned off defendant Soren Jacobsen, driving his father’s car and in company with his brother Inge and his cousin Elroy ICettleson, approached from the east; the lights on his car would not drop down upon the parked car as it came down the hill until within about 150 feet from it; he saw plaintiff’s car on the highway when about 50 feet from it and saw plaintiff leaning against the front fender; he drove the car to the left lane of traffic thinking that he left a clearance of about 4 feet between the right-hand side of the car he was driving and the body of plaintiff; there was evidence that defendant Soren Jacobsen had stated that he was traveling about 45 miles per hour; patrolman John Corder testified that defendant Soren Jacobsen estimated his speed at 40 miles per hour; Soren testified that he was traveling about 35 miles per hour; as he passed the plaintiff’s car, his car struck plaintiff on his right hip causing the injuries complained of; apparently the door handle of defendant’s car struck plaintiff because shortly after the accident it was discovered that the handle of the door was missing; defendant Soren [344]*344Jacobsen realizing that he had hit someone drove some distance past the plaintiff’s car and then turned around and drove back and found plaintiff lying on the road quite badly injured; the road was icy and slippery and defendant Soren Jacobsen did not apply the brakes on the car he was driving as he passed the plaintiff’s car; tracks made by defendant’s car indicate that it was 18 inches or 2 feet left of the center of the road; defendant Soren Jacobsen did not sound his horn and plaintiff and those traveling with him did not observe the approach of defendant’s car although the lights were on and visible for a distance of 500 feet or more; neither did they hear the car approaching although it was noisy because the muffler was disconnected; no one saw plaintiff move as the defendant’s car passed his car; plaintiff testified that he did not move as the defendant’s car passed until he was struck, that if he did step back from the car he did not step across the “white mark.”

Defendants raise two principal questions by the appeal. The first contention is that there is no evidence of negligence on the part of defendants. Their contention is that in passing the Moore car they passed on the left-hand lane as they had a right to do. The evidence, however, shows that defendant Soren Jacobsen, as well as Elroy Kettleson, admit seeing plaintiff standing by his car with his head under the hood of his car as they passed; no warning was given of the approach of defendants’ car, nor was there any attempt to slacken the speed of the ear as it passed the Moore car. There was evidence as above noted warranting a finding that it was then traveling at about 40 or 45 miles per hour. These acts of negligence, along with others, were charged in the complaint as being the proximate cause of plaintiff’s injuries. The proof was sufficient to make out a prima facie case of negligence sufficient to carry the case to the jury.

“Whether or not sufficient care has been exercised in passing a parked or stationary vehicle is ordinarily a question of fact for the jury. ’ ’ Blashfield, Cyc. of Automobile Law & Practice, Vol. 2A, sec. 1221, p. 95.

[345]*345In the light of the evidence above alluded to concerning the speed and lack of warning this rule has application here and the court did not err in denying defendants ’ motion for non-suit and in denying defendants’ motion for new trial for insufficiency of the evidence to justify the verdict.

Defendants next contend that the evidence shows negligence on the part of plaintiff barring recovery. In. reliance upon the well-established rule that violation of a statute constitutes negligence per se they contend that plaintiff was guilty of negligence in the following particulars: That plaintiff was intoxicated and not using the care that a sober person would have exercised; that no warning was given to approaching vehicles of the fact that the stalled car was parked on the highway; that plaintiff made no effort to protect himself by stepping to a place of safety and plaintiff was not exercising proper care for his own safety.

Reliance is placed upon R. C. M. 1947, sec. 31-108, as amended by Chapter 118, Laws of 1949, which in part provides: “For the purpose of this act, the following acts committed relative to the use of the highways and the operation of motor vehicles in the state of Montana shall constitute a crime punishable by law as hereinafter provided: * * *

“4. Driving a vehicle, of any type, at night .without suitable lights or reflectors * * *.
“17. Stopping, turning or parking on or along the main traveled highway where such vehicle can not be seen by the driver of any other vehicle approaching from either direction within five hundred (500) feet * * *.
“34. Walking * * * on a highway while under the influence of intoxicating liquors. * * *
“40. Driving or operating an automobile * * * upon or over any highway or street or public thoroughfare within the state of Montana * * * while under the influence of intoxicating liquor or any drug or narcotic.”

This statute was passed after the decision in Fulton v. Chouteau County Farmers’ Co., 98 Mont. 48, 37 Pac. (2d) 1025, [346]*346holding that stopping a car on a highway does not constitute negligence.

It may be conceded that there is sufficient evidence to warrant a finding of negligence on the part of plaintiff for violation of R. C. M. 1947, sec. 31-108, as amended.

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Moore v. Jacobsen
263 P.2d 713 (Montana Supreme Court, 1953)

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Bluebook (online)
263 P.2d 713, 127 Mont. 341, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/moore-v-jacobsen-mont-1953.