Price v. Louisiana Department of Transportation & Development

608 So. 2d 203, 1992 La. App. LEXIS 1828
CourtLouisiana Court of Appeal
DecidedJune 18, 1992
DocketNo. 91-CA-1520
StatusPublished
Cited by4 cases

This text of 608 So. 2d 203 (Price v. Louisiana Department of Transportation & Development) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Louisiana Court of Appeal primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Price v. Louisiana Department of Transportation & Development, 608 So. 2d 203, 1992 La. App. LEXIS 1828 (La. Ct. App. 1992).

Opinion

CIACCIO, Judge.

This case arises from an altercation between a Mississippi River Bridge Authority (MRBA) police officer and plaintiff, Glenn Price. On Friday, August 28, 1987, Price, his wife, Debra and their minor son, Christopher were in a line of traffic on Camp Street at approximately 5:15 p.m., waiting to cross the Greater New Orleans Mississippi River Bridge. At that time, defendant Mark Poche, a MRBA police officer, was assigned to traffic control on the bridge’s Melpomene Street entrance ramp. While directing traffic, Poche noticed Price pouring water into the radiator of his car which had overheated. Because traffic over the bridge was heavy during rush hour, Poche directed Price to remove his vehicle from the line of traffic to prevent it from later stalling on the bridge. Price informed Poche that he thought the car could make it across the bridge. Poche again directed Price to remove his vehicle from the line of traffic. Mrs. Price became upset with Poche’s order and exited the vehicle. She approached Poche and a verbal exchange between the two of them ensued. Mrs. Price then left the scene and went to use a telephone to call her employer. Meanwhile, Price approached Poche and asked to speak to Poche’s supervisor. Poche ordered Price to return to his car and summoned his supervisor, Corporal Glenn Killeen, by radio. Shortly thereafter, Killeen arrived. While Christopher Price remained in his father’s car, Price approached Killeen, inquiring as to how he could get across the bridge. As Price was discussing the matter with Killeen, Poche interrupted and threatened Price, resulting in a verbal confrontation between Price and Poche. Poche then, without warning, struck Price in the face and a scuffle en[206]*206sued. Price was then subdued, arrested, handcuffed and taken to Charity Hospital where he was treated for his injuries. He was later transported to Central Lockup.

As the police were arresting Price, Mrs. Price arrived back at the scene to find her husband bleeding. Their son Christopher, a ten year old with Down’s syndrome, witnessed the altercation between his father and Poche from the car.

As a result of the altercation, Glenn and Debra Price filed suit individually and on behalf of their minor son Christopher against Poche, Killeen, the Louisiana Department of Transportation and Development (DOTD) and the MRBA. In their petition seeking compensatory and punitive damages, plaintiffs alleged violations of their civil rights pursuant to 42 U.S.C. Section 1983, and claims for assault and battery, malicious prosecution, negligence and intentional infliction of emotional distress.

The allegations against the DOTD and the MRBA were tried before the district court judge and the allegations against Poche were tried before a jury. During the trial, Killeen was dismissed as a defendant.

The jury returned a verdict for plaintiffs which was made the judgment of the trial court, awarding plaintiffs a total of $13,-000.00 in compensatory damages ($3,500.00 to Glenn Price, $3,500.00 to Debra Price and $6,000 to Christopher Price), $200,-000.00 in punitive damages and attorney’s fees in the amount of $15,000.00, in addition to court costs and interest.

The trial judge entered his judgment against the MRBA, awarding plaintiffs a total of $31,500.00 ($19,500.00 to Glenn Price, $4,500.00 to Debra Price and $2,500.00 to Christopher Price).

Plaintiffs, Poche and the MRBA have appealed.

The following issues have been raised on appeal:

1) Whether the trial court erred in awarding plaintiffs’ punitive damages;

2) Whether the trial court erred in finding the MRBA liable to plaintiffs;

3) Whether the trial court erred in refusing plaintiffs jury interrogatory on the issue of damages;

4) Whether the damages awarded plaintiffs are excessive and contrary to law;

5) Whether the trial court erred casting the Louisiana DOTD and the MRBA liable in solido for only a portion of the compensatory damages awarded plaintiffs; and

6) Whether the trial court erred in assessing attorney’s fees against officer Poche alone.

In rendering judgment against the DOTD and MRBA, the trial judge gave the following Reasons for Judgment:

The Court fully embraces that the tort of Mark Poche should be assessed against the Mississippi River Bridge Authority and the Louisiana Department of Transportation and Development (respectively, “MRBA” and “LDTD”). The testimony of the independent witnesses, Messrs. Hall and Taylor, reinforces the plaintiffs’ version of the facts. The MRBA and LDTD had knowledge of Poche’s tendency to lose his temper as early as 22 April 1979 (Exhibit 2). His continued employment demonstrates the necessary link to assess liability to the MRBA and LDTD.
The Court finds general and special damages of Glenn Price to be $19,500.00, of Debra Price to Be $4,500.00, and of Christopher Price to be $7,500.00. The length of Mr. Price’s pain and suffering from the broken nose is not that extensive, and given the mandates of Lejuene [Lejeune ] v. Rayne Branch Hospital, 557 [556] So.2d 559, the Court feels that most of Ms. Price’s and Christopher’s damages relate to special damages for psychological treatment.
The Court determined that Smith v. Wade, 103 S.Ct. 1625 [461 U.S. 30, 75 L.Ed.2d 632] (1983) had effectively overruled Ricard v. State, 390 So.2d 882 (La.1980) and thus charged the jury on punitive damages pursuant to 42 USC 1983. Punitive damages are not applicable or taxable against the state agencies, only against individuals.
[207]*207Judgment has been rendered in accordance with the verdict by the jury and this Court’s jurisprudential mandate to determine liability of the state entities.

On appeal, defendant Poche argues the trial court erred in awarding plaintiffs punitive damages. Relying on the Louisiana Supreme Court’s holding in Ricard v. State, 390 So.2d 882 (La.1980), Poche contends that punitive or exemplary damages may not be awarded in a suit brought under 42 U.S.C. Section 1983 in Louisiana state courts. He also contends the trial judge erred in concluding that Smith v. Wade, 461 U.S. 30, 103 S.Ct. 1625, 75 L.Ed.2d 632 (1983), effectively overruled Ricard v. State, supra. We agree.

In Ricard, the plaintiff brought suit pursuant to 42 U.S.C. Section 1983 against the State of Louisiana, the Department of Public Safety, Division of State Police, and Steve Jones, a state police trooper, after plaintiff allegedly received a beating following a routine traffic stop. Defendants then filed a motion for summary judgment seeking to dismiss the portion of plaintiff’s claim for punitive damages. The trial court granted the summary judgment and the Court of Appeal affirmed.

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Price v. LOUISIANA DEPT. OF TRANSP. & DEV.
608 So. 2d 203 (Louisiana Court of Appeal, 1992)

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Bluebook (online)
608 So. 2d 203, 1992 La. App. LEXIS 1828, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/price-v-louisiana-department-of-transportation-development-lactapp-1992.