People v. Gillard

185 N.W. 734, 216 Mich. 461, 1921 Mich. LEXIS 485
CourtMichigan Supreme Court
DecidedDecember 21, 1921
DocketDocket No. 171
StatusPublished
Cited by4 cases

This text of 185 N.W. 734 (People v. Gillard) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Michigan Supreme Court primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
People v. Gillard, 185 N.W. 734, 216 Mich. 461, 1921 Mich. LEXIS 485 (Mich. 1921).

Opinion

Stone, J.

This case is here upon exceptions before sentence. The defendant, 24 years old, was charged with and convicted of the crime of involuntary manslaughter, arising out of the alleged negligent driving [464]*464of an automobile in the city of Muskegon on the 10th day of May, 1920. It was at the trial the claim of the people that at about the hour of 6:S0 p. m. of that day the defendant was driving a Dodge touring car north on Jefferson street in that city at an excessive and unlawful rate of speed; that at or about the same time one William Collier was being driven west on Grand avenue, approaching said Jefferson street, in a Dodge car with an enclosed top, operated by a chauffeur by the name of Ralph Ranney. At the time of the occurrence the pavement of the streets was wet and slippery and there was at the time a heavy mist, but it was not dark, and it was possible to see clearly. It was the claim of the people that at the intersection of said streets the two cars collided through the negligence of the defendant; that said Collier was thrown from the car in which he was riding, and the collision resulted in the death of said Collier, who died that night from the effects of the injuries there received'. It was further claimed by the people that at the time of the accident the defendant was not only traveling at an excessive rate of speed exceeding 15 miles an hour, the lawful rate of speed, but was also traveling on the left side of the street; that upon approaching said intersection the defendant did not have his car under control as required by law and the ordinance of said city, and that he did not give the car occupied by said Collier the right of way as required by law, but drove said car at such a rate of speed and in such a manner as was wanton, reckless and grossly careless.

On the other hand, while the defendant admitted that at the time in question he was driving north on Jefferson street in a Dodge touring car, he denied that he was going at an excessive or unlawful rate of speed. He claimed that as he approached the intersection of the two streets, the car driven by the said Ranney [465]*465was so managed and driven that it turned north immediately before arriving at said intersection, and therefore led defendant to believe that he was turning to the right into Jefferson street ahead of defendant, and for that reason defendant turned his car to the left, so as to permit said Ranney to make his turn properly and easily; that Ranney’s car after partially completing said turn was suddenly shifted back onto its original course, i. e., going west on Grand avenue; that at the time Ranney’s car made such shift in direction, the defendant made every effort to avoid the collision by turning his car sharply to the right so as to pass behind the car conveying said Collier, but that it was impossible to avoid such collision, because of the conduct of the said Ranney in the management of his car. It appeared that Ranney’s car was swung about on the wet and slippery pavement, after the collision, and struck a telephone pole standing at the northeast corner of the intersection of the streets. Both Ranney, the chauffeur, and Collier, who had been riding in the back seat of the car, were found lying on the ground. There was some evidence tending to show that Ranney was intoxicated at the time of the occurrence, but this was positively denied by Ranney. Defendant also testified that at the time of the accident the clutch on his car was loose, and for that reason his motor ran at a high rate of speed, although his car was not moving rapidly. This testimony was introduced to rebut evidence offered by the people as to the noise and speed of defendant’s car.

Upon all of the material and pertinent questions in the case there was a sharp conflict in the evidence. The defendant was sworn in his own behalf and testified fully in the case. A perusal of the entire testimony in the record satisfies us that there was testimony which, if believed by the jury, was sufficient [466]*466to sustain the charge and to warrant a conviction. The case was submitted to the jury in a very full and lengthy charge. By reason of certain assignments of error we quote from the charge as follows:

“The respondent has taken the stand in his own behalf, which he had a right to do. You should give his testimony the same consideration as the testimony of any other witness except insofar as you may inquire into his motive and any interest he may have in the outcome of this case. He is presumed, gentlemen, to be innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
“A reasonable doubt is a fair, honest doubt, growing out of the evidence in the case and based upon common sense and judgment. It is such a doubt that leaves your mind in such a condition that you cannot say that you have an abiding conviction, to a moral certainty,, of the truth of the charge here made against this respondent. It is not an imaginary doubt nor a doubt based upon sympathy, but just what it says — a reasonable doubt.
“The laws of this State provide, and the ordinances of the city to some extent also, that no person shall operate a motor vehicle on a public highway at a rate of speed greater than is reasonable and proper, having regard to the traffic and use of the highway, or so as to endanger life or limb of any person or the safety of the property, and shall not, in any event, while upon the highway run at a higher rate of speed than twenty-five miles an hour, and within the corporate limits of all cities and villages the rate of speed shall not be greater than ten miles an hour in the business portion of such city or village and not greater than fifteen miles an hour in all other portions. Upon approaching an intersecting highway and also in traversing such intersecting highway, a person operating a motor vehicle shall have it under control and operate it at such speed as is reasonable and proper, having regard to the traffic then on such highway and the safety of the public. The State law and the city ordinances also provide that when motor vehicles approach an intersection of two or more public high[467]*467ways or streets, the vehicle approaching from the right of the driver shall have the right of way; so in this case, gentlemen, as appears by the undisputed proof in this case, that Mr. Ranney with his taxicab was going west and Mr. Gillard coming down Jefferson street, going south.—
“The Court: Going north, I should say. In this case, gentlemen, from the undisputed proof, under the law the taxicab driven by Mr. Ranney, in. which Mr. Collier was injured, would have the right of way in crossing that street at that point, in view of the direction in which Mr. Gillard was going, north.
“I charge you, gentlemen, that this place where the collision occurred, that is, the intersection of Jefferson street and Grand avenue, is not in the business portion of the city and therefore comes within the fifteen miles per hour provision that I have mentioned; so that in the residential district, where this collision took place the speed of motor cars should not, under the law, exceed fifteen miles an hour, and any one who exceeds that speed limit at that place or in that vicinity is committing an unlawful act.

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Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
185 N.W. 734, 216 Mich. 461, 1921 Mich. LEXIS 485, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/people-v-gillard-mich-1921.