Nixon v. Morris

433 S.W.2d 364, 1968 Ky. LEXIS 276
CourtCourt of Appeals of Kentucky
DecidedOctober 18, 1968
StatusPublished
Cited by5 cases

This text of 433 S.W.2d 364 (Nixon v. Morris) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Court of Appeals of Kentucky primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Nixon v. Morris, 433 S.W.2d 364, 1968 Ky. LEXIS 276 (Ky. Ct. App. 1968).

Opinion

EDWARD P. HILL, Judge.

This is an appeal from a judgment entered pursuant to a jury verdict for the appellees in appellant’s action for damages caused by being struck by an automobile owned by S. Stanley Morris, Jr., and operated at the time by Alfred G. Carroll, Jr.

Appellant raises a number of questions on this appeal; but inasmuch as we conclude that he was entitled to a last clear chance instruction, requiring reversal of the judgment, we deem it unnecessary to discuss other questions raised.

We relate the facts and pertinent testimony bearing upon the proposition that appellant was entitled to a last clear chance instruction.

The accident occurred at about 9:30 p. m., June 11, 1965, at the intersection of 19th and Walnut streets in Louisville.

At the point of the accident, Walnut is a four-lane, one-way street for use of westbound traffic until 6 p. m., after which time parking is allowed in the two curb lanes. Nineteenth Street runs north and south crossing Walnut Street at a right angle. There is no signal light at this intersection and no “marked” crosswalk. It was dark, of course, but the four corners are occupied by business places, and the intersection was illuminated by streetlights in addition to the lights from the business places.

Appellee Carroll, driving west in a small automobile in the north lane of traffic, noticed another vehicle parked in his lane near the intersection. As he pulled around the parked vehicle, he first observed appellant standing (as Carroll says) in the middle of Walnut Street. Appellant, a 69-year-old man, had traveled west along the south sidewalk of Walnut Street and was attempting to cross Walnut at 19th Street.

We quote from appellant’s evidence relative to how the accident occurred:

“Q. 84 Do you know what lane you were in at the time this accident happened ?
“A. No, sir, I don’t.' The last thing I remember, when I started crossing that street. I did not see him coming down — didn’t pay no attention to what’s going down or what is coming. The way — when I turned to my right. Across Walnut Street.”
“Q. 20 All right. Now, when you got to 19th Street intersection, tell the jury what happened, if anything?
“A. Well, when I got to 19th Street, I tell you what I observed. I looked up. I always watch the walkway. I go around walking on all of the streets up there that way, and I looks up this street and I didn’t see this car he said he was driving. I seen a truck coming down Walnut Street. I didn’t see him at all. I had plenty of time to pass the truck and I went on across the street. I started across the street and that’s the last thing I remember.”
* * * * * *
“Q. 22 This is 19th Street running north and south. Walnut Street is a one way street, as you know, west. Now, when you got to the intersection [366]*366of 19th Street, do I understand you to say then that you did what ?
“A. I stopped and looked up and down the street. I seen a truck coming. I stopped. I know I stopped. I stopped and looked up and down the street. I seen a truck coming. The truck looked like he was a pretty good ways.”
* * * * * ⅝
“Q. 100 The truth of the matter is when you looked down Walnut Street, you didn’t see anything, did you ?
“A. Yes, I seen a truck. That’s all I did see.”

The appellee Carroll, the driver of the small automobile involved in the accident, testified as follows:

“Q. 44 My question was when you came from around this parked car, is that when you noticed Mr. Nixon trying to cross the street?
“A. Yes.
“Q. 45 Is that right?
“A. (Witness nodded head affirmatively.)
“Q. 46 And where was he then ?
“A. At the time, he was ... I can’t exactly say where he was. There were some people standing over here (indicating), but I couldn’t distinguish him among them, but he stepped out into the street and started across.
“Q. 47 Well, now, you were back here about . . . how far from the corner were you back here (indicating) when you pulled from around this parked car?
“A. I was about two car lengths from the parked car when I pulled around it.”
***** *
“Q. 58 And what did you do, just run into him?
“A. No. When I first saw him, it looked as if he were standing there and the next thing I had realized that he had started out so I blew my horn and, as I came closer to the intersection, it seems as though he started running and that’s when we hit and it looked as if . . .
“Q. 59 Other than that, do I understand you to say you didn’t do anything to avoid hitting him other than blowing your horn and keep going?
“A. I applied my brakes after I saw that he wasn’t going to stop.”
***** *
“Q. 110 All right. Go ahead and explain.
“A. I came around the car, he ran out in front of me, and I veered to my right trying to miss him.”
***** *
“Q 125 Now, then, when you saw him and you were two car lengths back, what did you do?
“A. Sounded my horn.
“Q. 126 Did you stop?
“A. No. I applied my brakes after I saw that he was going to keep coming.”
***** *
“Q. 129 All right. And you were going about 30 or 35 miles per hour?
“A. Possibly. I hadn’t noticed.”

Appellant’s witness William Leavell testified he “thought the fellow fell out of the car.” Leavell was following Carroll.

The investigating officer Charles A. Booth testified as follows:

“Q. 21 All right. Well, now, Officer, will you just go ahead and explain what your investigation disclosed concerning the physical evidence on the ground and the statements, admissions and otherwise given to you by the de[367]*367fendant, Alfred Carroll, or the other witnesses?
“A. When we arrived at the scene, the pedestrian, Silas Nixon, had been removed by the District Police.

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Bluebook (online)
433 S.W.2d 364, 1968 Ky. LEXIS 276, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/nixon-v-morris-kyctapp-1968.