Wagner v. Shanks

194 A.2d 701, 56 Del. 555, 6 Storey 555, 1963 Del. LEXIS 160
CourtSuperior Court of Delaware
DecidedSeptember 12, 1963
StatusPublished
Cited by9 cases

This text of 194 A.2d 701 (Wagner v. Shanks) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Superior Court of Delaware primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Wagner v. Shanks, 194 A.2d 701, 56 Del. 555, 6 Storey 555, 1963 Del. LEXIS 160 (Del. Ct. App. 1963).

Opinion

Terry, Chief Justice.

This is a tort action filed on behalf of a minor by his father. Plaintiff-appellant, Philip V. Wagner, Jr., sustained serious injuries on February 7, 1957, resulting from an automobile accident. At the time of the accident, the car was being driven by David C. Shanks, a minor who, with his father, was a defendant in the action brought in the Court below. The automobile was owned by John A. Shanks, David’s father.

On the evening of February 7, 1957, Philip V. Wagner, Jr., hereinafter referred to as “Philip,” and David C. Shanks, hereinafter referred to as “David,” were alone in the automobile. The only version of the events which culminated in disaster is that supplied by David. Philip has no recollection of what transpired.

[558]*558David testified that he and Philip attended a play rehearsal at their school on the evening in question. He stopped for Philip at Philip’s house in his family’s Oldsmobile sedan. The play rehearsal was concluded around 10 o’clock in the evening. David and Philip had previously determined to look for cars which were parked along the route home, with the idea of exciting the occupants by turning a flashlight on them. These boys and some of their friends had done this on similar occasions. David testified that Philip brought a flashlight with him for this purpose. Such activities were known to David’s parents and were not forbidden, but were not known to Philip’s parents.

No cars were found by the boys on the trip back at approximately 10 o’clock that evening. Philip evidently encouraged David to seek a more lonely area, and after some hesitation by David, they agreed to travel out Barley Mill Road, passing Philip’s house along the way. It is a narrow, blacktop, two-lane road, 20 to 21 feet wide, forming a crown at the center and tapering away at the edges, with no improvement at the shoulders. The road is closely abutted on both sides by fences, poles, and trees. It has numerous curves and rises and falls in contour. The area traveled by Philip and David shortly before the-accident contains a straightaway section over a small rise, which then climbs in a steady uphill grade to a sharp curve which bears to the left. It was at this point in the-road that the accident occurred.

After deciding to continue the search, the boys passed the dam at Hoopes Reservoir. David then turned his car around in the direction of home. As he again passed the-side road leading to the dam, he observed a car parked somewhat off Barley Mill Road, but facing Barley Mill Road. David stopped his car along side of the parked car. According to David’s testimony, Philip, who was in the-[559]*559front passenger seat of David’s car, leaned over the back and flashed the light on the other car, and, at the same time, one of the boys called to the occupants to “move on,” or some similar expression. There were two occupants 'in the other car. The driver immediately flashed on the headlights and started the engine. At this point, David became excited and sped away from the scene at a high rate of speed. The other car continued to follow the boys, but its identity and that of the occupants are still unknown.

It had been raining or misting throughout the day. While the precipitation had ceased at the time of the accident, the surface of the road was still wet and traction was poor. The atmosphere was overcast and visibility was obscured by intermittent fog conditions.

Shortly thereafter, the automobile collided with a tree stump which was along the edge of Barley Mill Road at the point of a sharp left curve. Evidence adduced at trial indicates that David had lost control of the car and skidded for approximately 140 feet before coming to rest 10 feet off the road.

As a result of the injury, plaintiff was required to repeat his senior year of high school, and medical evidence was presented at the trial which indicated that his mental powers of recollection and orientation are permanently impaired. He has been unsuccessful at any further educational pursuits.

Tiffs action was subsequently filed on behalf of Philip to recover damages for personal injuries and for medical expenses. Two counts were alleged in the complaint. The first is that David was conveying Philip in his automobile based on “payment,” thus removing the case from the .stricter requirements of the Delaware guest statute. (21 [560]*560Del. C. § 6101(a).) On this count, plaintiff charged defendants with ordinary negligence. The second count charges “wanton disregard of the rights of others,” in order to obtain a recovery notwithstanding the guest statute.

Defendant filed a motion for summary judgment relating to the first count, stating that plaintiff was a guest of defendant without payment for transportation. This, motion also sought to attack the second count of the complaint, but that was denied by the Court below. However, defendant’s motion for summary judgment based on the first count was granted.

The pertinent facts relating to the issue of “payment” can be briefly stated. David’s parents own two automobiles, one of which was used quite regularly by him to transport Philip to and from school and to other school activities. Affidavits presented on this issue indicated that perhaps out of some sense of obligation, Philip’s parents drove David’s father home from the bus line in the evening. While no payments, as such, were made for any transportation supplied by either party to the other, it does appear nonetheless that some form of reciprocal arrangement existed. That, however, is not the basic issue which was considered determinative by the Court below in granting defendant’s motion for summary judgment. The undisputed facts show that these boys were on a frolic. It was unnecessary for the Court below to have determined the validity of any such arrangement, since the boys did not return home after their extra-curricular activities had been completed at the school. In his decision, the learned Judge stated:

“If a business agreement had existed, it ceased when Philip and David decided not to go home, but decided instead to continue looking for parked cars. Such a ride [561]*561was certainly not within the scope of any transportation agreement between the parties. Assuming, without determining, that a valid contract existed between the parties, I decide that at the time the accident occurred on February 7, 1957, Philip Wagner, Jr. and David Shanks were not operating under the terms of any such contract and that the trip had become purely social in nature. Consequently, Philip was not a ‘paying passenger’ but a ‘guest.’ ”

We conclude that the Court below was correct. It was unnecessary to decide if a valid contract existed, because its provisions would not, in our opinion, apply to the activities of either party at the time of this accident.

Defendant has moved to dismiss plaintiff’s appeal on this issue. After the defendant prevailed on the first count of his motion for summary judgment, no appeal was taken by the plaintiff until now. Article 4, Section 11, of the Constitution of Delaware, Del. C., provides that part of our jurisdiction is:

“(1) (a) To receive appeals from the Superior Court in civil causes and to determine finally all matters of appeal in the interlocutory or final judgments and other proceedings of said Superior Court in civil causes * * * >>

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Wagner v. Shanks
194 A.2d 701 (Supreme Court of Delaware, 1963)

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Bluebook (online)
194 A.2d 701, 56 Del. 555, 6 Storey 555, 1963 Del. LEXIS 160, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/wagner-v-shanks-delsuperct-1963.