People v. Duell

42 P.R. 313
CourtSupreme Court of Puerto Rico
DecidedMay 26, 1931
DocketNo. 3816
StatusPublished

This text of 42 P.R. 313 (People v. Duell) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Supreme Court of Puerto Rico primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
People v. Duell, 42 P.R. 313 (prsupreme 1931).

Opinion

Me. Justice Audkby

delivered the opinion of the Court.

William S. Duell appeals from a judgment whereby he was sentenced to sis months’ imprisonment for a violation of section 328 of the Penal Code, as amended in 1916, on a charge of having, through gross negligence or carelessness, suffered or caused a “Mercedes” automobile, driven by him at a certain time and place, to collide with a “Chevrolet” automobile, thereby causing the death of José María Tirado.

Two grounds are urged by him in support of his appeal: First, that the lower court erred in denying his motion for a nonsuit; second, that it also erred in convicting him, as he was not guilty of any public offense under the evidence.

After the trial court had overruled his motion for a non-suit the appellant introduced evidence and thereby waived his right to have such ruling reviewed on appeal. People v. Alvarado, 19 P.R.R. 827; People v. González et al., 24 P.R.R. 667, and People v. Ojeda, 26 P.R.R. 392. We shall, therefore, consider all the evidence introduced at the trial in order to determine whether the second error assigned was committed.

A “Mercedes” automobile was being driven by appellant shortly after midnight on a certain day along the road from San Juan to Río Piedras, and upon reaching Stop 32 of the electric car line it collided with a “Chevrolet” automobile which stood on the right-hand side of the road, looking towards Río Piedras. As a result of the accident, José Maria Tirado was killed and Jorge Luis Rivera had his face injured.

Jorge Luis Rivera testified that he and José Maria Ti-rado had gone out that night for a drive in the “Chevrolet” and, while on their way to Río Piedras, they stopped their car near Stop 30 in order to fix the rear light that was not working Well, so as to avoid a fine; that they placed the vehicle on the right side of the road leading to Río Piedras, almost at right angles to the highway, the front wheels rest[315]*315ing on the footpath of the road and the rear wheels near the ditch and trolley-car track which is close by; that on the right side of the automobile as it stood there was a mango tree and then another in the same direction towards Bio Piedras; that the place was clear as it was lighted by two electric lamps, one on the road and another on the electric-car track; that when he and Tirado got ont of the ‘ ‘ Chevrolet” the front lights of the ear were on; that he did no hear any horn nor see the lights of another car, but almost immediately after leaving their car another automobile coming up from San Juan struck the “Chevrolet” and he knew no more afterwards as he was unconscious; that two or three days later he went with the municipal judge to the same place and saw the “Chevrolet” facing the road, on the other side of the tree.

Juan Martínez, a night watchman in the district, testified that he was the first to arrive at the place of the accident, which Was later reached by an “Oakland” car and by another automobile hearing Mr. Izquierdo; that he was in front of Panzardi’s house, situated between Stop 30 and Río Piedras, and saw a car which stopped at Stop 30, some three feet inside the road and with its lights on, from which two boys alighted, and that shortly thereafter another car came up from the direction of San Juan “driven at too excessive speed” and collided with the standing “Chevrolet” car; that the car causing the collision, a “Mercedes,” came to a stop about five or six yards past; that the place in question was lighted by two electric lamps and that he wtent to fetch a policeman and returned shortly thereafter with Juan A. Lebrón, who took the injured men to the Río Pie-dras Hospital; that after the collision the “Chevrolet” automobile was lying on the railway track past the mango tree and that, with the help of the policeman, he pushed it forward so as not to obstruct the passage of the electric cars; and that the tree was scraped.

Policeman Juan A. Lebrón testified that the “Mercedes” [316]*316car stood some six or eight meters away; that Tirado lay under the rear bumper, and that the mango tree was scraped.

Attorney Benito Sánchez lives almost in front of said place, and he testified that there the light is clear. Mr. Rafael Izquierdo, who reached the place of the occurrence shortly after the accident, testified that he found the “Chevrolet” car with its front lights on.

According to the expert mechanic, Felipe Cuevas, the “Chevrolet” car was struck a heavy blow on the right-rear portion of the body; the left mudguard was slightly indented; the right wheel broken; the right mudguard was also heavily indented and the right running board somewhat out of shape, the glass also being, damaged. He did not see the “Mercedes” car.

Another expert mechanic, Antonio Lugo, saw both cars and testified that the “Chevrolet” had the right-rear wheel broken to pieces, which indicated a most severe impact; the bumper in the left-rear side was torn away and so was the removable rim carried in the rear box; he thinks that upon being struck on its left side the “Chevrolet” skidded sideways on the road, as revealed by the car; that the right running board had a portion of it bent downward; that the end of the chassis was damaged and the bumper and rim touched the ground; that on the right-hand running board and right side of the hood there appeared signs of a collision against the mango tree which stood there; that the right-front portion had also been struck and was somewhat loose. Taking into account that the “Mercedes” car is made of the best material that can be obtained, is a heavy car and very strong, with laminated steel mudguards, four brakes, best finish and well built, and can be stopped, by applying the brakes, at not more than five or six meters while going at 50 or 60 miles; and also taking into consideration that the “Chevrolet” is a very light car and its mudguards are made of common tin-plate, the expert reached the conclusion that the collision must have been a very violent one, because [317]*317from the shape of the rear bumper of the “Chevrolet” which is built almost like a half circle, and from the fact that at the place where it must have been struck to be broken it is very strong, it w;as apparent to him that the collision must have been very violent. He also stated that the “Mercedes” has two accelerators, one for speeding’ up to 60 miles and another up to 120 miles; that the speed can be increased up to 90 miles; that it is a heavy car, and that while going at sixty miles anyone would think that he is not going at more than twenty; that in heavy cars one is not aware of the speed even though traveling at fifty or sixty miles an hour; and that such a violent collision must have been caused by the “Mercedes” going at from forty to fifty miles an hour at least. That the tip of the right mudguard of .the “Mercedes” w!as bent and the right bumper fell from the blow, the radiator showing a light knock.

Such was, in short, the evidence introduced by the prosecution at the trial.

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42 P.R. 313, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/people-v-duell-prsupreme-1931.