Rowe v. Kansas City Public Service Co.

248 S.W.2d 445, 241 Mo. App. 1225, 1952 Mo. App. LEXIS 227
CourtMissouri Court of Appeals
DecidedFebruary 4, 1952
Docket21609
StatusPublished
Cited by10 cases

This text of 248 S.W.2d 445 (Rowe v. Kansas City Public Service Co.) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Missouri Court of Appeals primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Rowe v. Kansas City Public Service Co., 248 S.W.2d 445, 241 Mo. App. 1225, 1952 Mo. App. LEXIS 227 (Mo. Ct. App. 1952).

Opinion

*1229 SPERRY, C.

Plaintiff, a member of the Police Department of Kansas City, Missouri, sued defendant for personal injuries he received in a collision between a police ear driven by plaintiff and a trolley bus, operated by defendant. The cause was submitted on both primary and humanitarian negligence. Judgment was for plaintiff in the amount of $4000, and defendant appeals.

The collision occurred at the intersection of Truman Road and the Paseo, in Kansas City. Plaintiff, who was officially on duty, was operating a Ford automobile and was charged with the duty of investigating and aiding at scenes of accidents. He was proceeding eastward on Linwood, at about 11:30 p.m., and received emergency orders, by radio, to proceed to 1225 Holmes to investigate an accident. He turned north on Paseo proceeding, with the siren continuously sounding and the red light on, until the automobile was struck by a trolley bus traveling eastward, in about the center of the intersection of Truman Road and the northbound traffic lane of Paseo. The left front of the bus, struck the autmobile at the rear left wheel and fender.

Defendant contends that plaintiff failed to make a submissible ease on either of the above theories. (It is urged that plaintiff was guilty of contributory negligence as a matter of law, barring him from recovery on any theory of primary negligence, and that he failed to make a ease on the humanitarian theory).

The collision occurred at about 11:30 p.m., at a very busy intersection. Several vehicles were parked where the drivers could see the accident. Some of them testified, as did several persons who were passengers on the trolley bus. We will summarize such of that testimony as is most favorable to plaintiff, for none of it conflicts with the testimony of plaintiff, or with his theory of the case, although there are some variances between plaintiff and other witnesses as to time, speed and space.

Truman Road is an east-west thoroughfare, the traveled portion of which is 76 feet wide. Paseo is a north-south trafficway, having two lanes, one for southbound and one for northbound traffic. These lanes are 30 feet wide and are separated by a parkway 126 feet wide.

Mr. McAnnieh, a “Frisco” employee, was proceeding southward, in the west traffic lane of Paseo, and stopped his car at the north curb line of Truman Road, waiting change of the signal lights. The bus was then stopped at an unloading zone, on the south side of Truman Road, about 50 feet west of the west curb line of Paseo. He saw the bus start forward (east) at about the time he heard a siren and saw plaintiff’s police car, about 200' feet south of Truman Road, traveling north in the east traffic lane of Paseo, with the red light on. The bus *1230 was' crossing the southbound lane when he heard and saw the car. He stated that the bus moved forward at about 15 miles per hour, neither diminishing its speed or swerving-, until the collision occurred ; that the police car entered the intersection on the green light, traveling at 12 or 15 miles per hour, and was struck when about in the center of the intersection of the northbound traffic lane of Paseo, and the eastbound lane of Triunan Boad.

Mr. Chrisman, an employee of McKesson-Eobbins, was a passenger on the bus. He stated that he heard the siren of the police car while the bus was parked at the loading zone; that it continued to sound until the collision occurred; that he saw the car 15 feet south of the intersection; that the red light was on, both before and after the impact ; that the bus did not diminish speed, or swerve; that when the car entered the intersection, going 10 or 12 miles per hour, the bus was 30 feet west, traveling 15 miles per hour; that the bus traveled 20 feet after the impact occurred.

Mrs. Chrisman, an employee of Blue Cross, was a passenger on the bus. She stated that she heard the siren when the bus started from the loading zone; that she heard the siren continuously until the collision occurred; that the red light was on the car after the collision; that the bus proceeded from the loading zone to the point of collision at 15 miles per hour, without stopping, slowing, or swerving.

Mr. Malino, a taxi driver, stated that the police car passed his taxi traveling north near 16th Street, on* Paseo, traveling 25 miles per hour; that its speed was less than 25 miles per hour, when it entered the intersection; that the siren was sounding and the red light was on; that all traffic (except the car and bus) was stopped; that he thought the police car entered the intersection on the green light; that the bus was 15 feet west of the intersection when the car entered it. On cross-examination he admitted having signed a statement wherein the facts stated varied from those given in testimony.

Mr. Brown, an employee of Sheffield Steel Company, had stopped his car on the east side of the southbound traffic lane, and was waiting for a green light when he heard the siren and saw the police car with red lights on, 200 to 300 feet south of Truman Boad. He stated that traffic stopped; that the car and the bus were the only vehicles moving; that the bus started through the intersection at 15 miles per hour, and did not slow down or swerve prior to the collision; that the police car entered the intersection on the green light; that the bus was, at that time, 15 or 20 feet west of the west line of the northbound traffic lane on Paseo.

Plaintiff stated that he was in charge of safety cars of the Police Department; that he had received an emergency radio message from the department to proceed to 1225 Holmes to investigate an accident; that he proceeded north on Paseo, with the siren sounding continuously and with the red light on; that as he approached Truman Boad he saw *1231 the bus standing at the southwest corner of the intersection of Truman Road and Paseo, that he was, at that time, 200 feet south; that when he next saw the bus it was 60 feet west of the east traffic lane while the ear was 25 to 30 feet south of Truman Road; that when his car entered the intersection the bus was 30 feet west of the west line of the east lane of Paseo, and was proceeding at a speed of 15 miles per hour; that plaintiff, driving at 10 miles per hour, could have stopped within 27 to 28 feet, including reaction time; that he could have stopped before entering the intersection if it had been necessary, but thought the bus would stop; that he was watching other vehicles as well as the bus.

Mr. Harris, testifying as an expert for plaintiff, stated that defendant’s bus, while traveling at a speed of 15 miles per hour, could have been stopped, with safety, within 26 feet.

Mr. Draffen, defendant’s bus operator, stated that the bus was at a loading zone, 50 feet west of Paseo, when the green light came on for him; that the bus started and moved forward at 15 miles per hour; that he did not hear the siren, or see the car, until it was 10 feet south of Truman Road; that, at that time, the red light was not on, nor was the siren being sounded; that the bus was proceeding at 15 miles per hour and the car at 15 to 20; that a “ good stop ’ ’ for the bus would have been 35 to 40 feet; that he put on the brakes and was going about 5 miles per hour at the time of the impact.

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Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
248 S.W.2d 445, 241 Mo. App. 1225, 1952 Mo. App. LEXIS 227, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/rowe-v-kansas-city-public-service-co-moctapp-1952.