Stepp v. State Farm Fire & Cas. Co.

656 So. 2d 494, 1995 Fla. App. LEXIS 2655, 1995 WL 111514
CourtDistrict Court of Appeal of Florida
DecidedMarch 17, 1995
Docket93-2023
StatusPublished
Cited by6 cases

This text of 656 So. 2d 494 (Stepp v. State Farm Fire & Cas. Co.) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering District Court of Appeal of Florida primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Stepp v. State Farm Fire & Cas. Co., 656 So. 2d 494, 1995 Fla. App. LEXIS 2655, 1995 WL 111514 (Fla. Ct. App. 1995).

Opinion

656 So.2d 494 (1995)

James M. STEPP, Jr., and Alison D. Stepp, Appellants,
v.
STATE FARM FIRE & CASUALTY COMPANY, Appellee.

No. 93-2023.

District Court of Appeal of Florida, First District.

March 17, 1995.
Rehearing Denied July 18, 1995.

Michael R. Yokan of Kattman & Eshelman, P.A., Jacksonville, for appellants.

Jack W. Shaw, Jr., Harris Brown and Reginald Luster of Osborne, McNatt, Shaw, O'Hara, Brown & Obringer, P.A., Jacksonville, for appellee.

PER CURIAM.

This is an appeal of a final summary judgment in which the trial court determined that the undisputed facts showed the actions of the insured decedent, Billy Joe Herald ("Herald"), in shooting appellant James Stepp ("Stepp") were not an accident and thus did not constitute an occurrence under Herald's homeowner's insurance policy, and that the policy exclusion as to the actions of an insured which cause bodily injury which are either expected or intended or are the result of willful and malicious acts of the insured was applicable, thus there was no coverage. We affirm.

Herald shot Stepp while Stepp was serving as a reserve police officer in Jacksonville. According to Stepp's deposition, upon being informed that Herald appeared to be driving while intoxicated, he stopped Herald as Herald drove his automobile away from a convenience store. Several unmarked police cars followed behind Stepp. After Herald exited the car, Officer Stevens, who was dressed in plain clothes (and apparently had been driving *495 one of the unmarked cars) took over the investigation. Eventually, Stevens placed Herald in the back seat of Stepp's patrol car. Stepp did not frisk Herald because he thought Stevens had done so. Stepp did not handcuff Herald, who had been cooperative. Stepp then sat in the front seat of his patrol car waiting for a beat car to come and pick up Herald. Herald asked Stepp if he "was going to take him home or what." Stepp said no, that they were waiting for a beat car and that officer would decide what to do. About thirty seconds later Stepp heard a loud noise and felt pain in his head, and his front windshield shattered. Stepp exited the vehicle, drew his firearm, and took cover at the corner of the convenience store. Realizing that he was bleeding, he went inside the store and asked the clerk to call 911. Stepp did not return to the patrol vehicle. He was informed later that Herald had shot himself about an hour after he shot Stepp, and that Herald had died. Stepp later learned that Herald had a gun holster in his boot. There were no other witnesses to the shooting of Stepp.

Stepp sued Herald's estate on several theories, including negligence, alleging that while seated in the rear of the patrol car, Herald had carelessly handled the firearm, which discharged, permanently injuring Stepp. Subsequently, State Farm, which issued Herald's homeowner's insurance policy, sued for a declaratory judgment as to coverage and its duty to defend. Early in the proceedings, the two suits were consolidated for discovery only. Judge Nachman denied State Farm's motion for summary judgment in the suit for declaratory judgment, finding that State Farm had not shown that there were no genuine issues or that, as a matter of law, the shooting was intentional and not the result of negligence. The trial court also denied State Farm's motion for summary judgment, and granted Stepp's motion for partial summary judgment, on the question of State Farm's duty to defend. This court denied certiorari review of that issue.[1]

Subsequently, the cases were consolidated for trial. State Farm again moved for summary judgment. In addition to the deposition testimony of Stepp, which had formed the basis of the first motion for summary judgment, State Farm submitted the results of Herald's autopsy, which showed a blood alcohol level of .37 at the time of his death; however, the two motions for summary judgment were virtually identical insofar as the determinative issues were concerned. Judge Beverly granted summary final judgment in favor of State Farm, finding as indicated above. On appeal the Stepps challenge the correctness of the trial court's ruling on the motion for summary judgment and the propriety of its ruling contrary to the predecessor judge.

The operative portion of the homeowner's policy provides:

Section II — Liability Coverage
Coverage L — Personal Liability
If a claim is made or suit is brought against an insured for damages because of bodily injury or property damage to which this coverage applies, caused by an occurrence, we will:
1. Pay up to our limit of liability for the damages for which the insured is legally liable; and
2. Provide a defense at our expense by counsel of our choice.
"Occurrence" is defined as used in Section II of the policy means "accident ... which results in ... bodily injury ... during a policy period."
Section II — Exclusions
1. Coverage L and Coverage M do not apply to:
(a) Bodily injury or property damage:
(1) which is either expected or intended by the insured;
or
*496 (2) to any person or property which is the result of the wilful and malicious acts of an insured.[2]

Appellants contend that the record is silent as to what caused Herald's gun to discharge, and therefore the trial court erred in concluding that the undisputed material facts entitle State Farm to summary judgment. Further, appellants contend the trial court implicitly held that the discharge of the firearm was an intentional act not covered by the policy, and as such, the decision is contrary to the recent opinion in Prudential Property and Casualty Insurance Co. v. Swindal, 622 So.2d 467 (Fla. 1993). Finally, appellants contend the trial court erred reversibly by overturning the ruling of a predecessor judge. We disagree with each of appellants' contentions.

"[T]he burden to prove the non-existence of genuine triable issues is on the moving party," Holl v. Talcott, 191 So.2d 40, 43 (Fla. 1966). "If the pleadings, depositions, answers to interrogatories, admissions, affidavits and other evidence in the file raise the slightest doubt upon any issue of material fact than a summary judgment may not be entered." Connell v. Sledge, 306 So.2d 194, 196 (Fla. 1st DCA 1975), cert. dismissed, 336 So.2d 105 (Fla. 1976). Appellants argue there is no evidence that the shooting was not an accident, and no evidence that Herald expected or intended to cause injury to Stepp, thus State Farm could not prevail on summary judgment.

Appellants admit that the record is silent as to what caused Herald's firearm to discharge when Stepp was shot in the head, and that Stepp's deposition testimony is the only evidence of record as to how the shooting occurred. It is also apparent in this case that, because there were no witnesses other than Stepp and Herald, and Stepp has presented his recollection of the event, no additional substantial evidence as to how the shooting occurred is available. Appellant argues the fact that Herald appeared peaceful and also extremely intoxicated would permit a jury inference that the shooting occurred by accident.[3]

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Bluebook (online)
656 So. 2d 494, 1995 Fla. App. LEXIS 2655, 1995 WL 111514, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/stepp-v-state-farm-fire-cas-co-fladistctapp-1995.