Yearwood v. Nichols

230 S.W.2d 313, 1950 Tex. App. LEXIS 2111
CourtCourt of Appeals of Texas
DecidedJanuary 25, 1950
Docket4700
StatusPublished
Cited by9 cases

This text of 230 S.W.2d 313 (Yearwood v. Nichols) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Court of Appeals of Texas primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Yearwood v. Nichols, 230 S.W.2d 313, 1950 Tex. App. LEXIS 2111 (Tex. Ct. App. 1950).

Opinions

PRICE, Chief Justice.

This is an appeal by John P. Yearwood and F. V. Yearwood, hereinafter called [316]*316“Yearwoods” from a judgment of the District Court of Midland County in a trial before the court without a jury, overruling their pleas of privilege to be sued in the county of their residence. Vera Nichols, as administratrix of the estate of her deceased husband, D. I. Nichols, sued the Texas & Pacific Railway Company, hereinafter called “T&P” and John P. and F. V. Yearwood, doing- business as the Year-wood Distributing Company, seeking damages for the death of her husband, D. I. Nichols. She alleged that the deceased Nichols was employed as an engineer by the T&P, that while engaged in his employment on or about October 17, 1948, he met his death near the city of Midland through a collision at a public crossing between t-he engine he was operating and a truck operated by the Yearwoods through their employee. It is alleged the train was operating at the time of the collision in interstate commerce. The allegation as to the T&P was that it was guilty of negligence in failing to maintain signal lights at such crossing, which negligence was the sole proximate cause or contributing proximate cause of the collision which resulted in the death of her husband.

As to the Yearwoods she alleged that their truck at the relevant time was operated in the course of his employment by their employee, that said truck or trailer attached thereto carried a great amount of liquid that was highly explosive and inflammable, which exploded when it was struck by the engine. It is charged, among other grounds of negligence, that the said employee was guilty of negligence in hauling said dangerous and inflammable substance across the track with knowledge of the approach of said train; that such negligence was a proximate cause and was a contributing cause of the collision and resulting death of the engineer, Nichols.

The Yearwoods filed a plea of privilege as to the suit of the administratrix, alleging their respective residences in El Paso County. The T&P filed an answer to plaintiff’s suit and a cross-action against the Yearwoods. It sought to recover damages from the Yearwoods for damage to its equipment and property. Among the grounds of negligence alleged was that the driver of the truck was guilty of negligence in driving the truck and trailer loaded with such inflammable and explosive liquid in front of the approaching train. It was further alleged that such negligence constituted the direct, sole and proximate cause of the collision. Further indemnity was sought, and in the alternative at least contribution by the railway company against the Yearwoods.

The Yearwoods filed a plea of privilege to the cross-action of the T&P. The ad-ministratrix filed a controverting affidavit to the Yearwoods’ plea of privilege. In this controverting affidavit, among other things it was charged that the driver of the truck for the Yearwoods was guilty of negligence in hauling said dangerous and inflammable substance across said railroad tracks with knowledge that the train was approaching, and that such negligence was a proximate cause and a contributing cause of the collision and consequent damage. Exception No. 9 of Art. 199S was invoked, as likewise exceptions 25 and 29a of the same article.

The Yearwoods filed their plea of privilege to the cause of action set up against them by the T&P; the T&P filed its controverting affidavit to this plea of privilege. In substance said controverting affidavit alleged that the Yearwoods through their employee were guilty of acts of negligence which were the proximate cause of the injury, and such acts of negligence constituted a trespass committed in Midland County. Among the acts of negligence charged was that he was negligent in hauling said dangerous and inflammable substance across the tracks with knowledge of the approaching train. Exception 9 to Article 1995, Vernon’s Ann.Civ.St. is invoked to retain venue in Midland County.

The Yearwoods urge fifteen points of error. Nos. 1 and 2 are briefed together. In substance it is claimed that the admin-istratrix has not definitely and specifically pleaded the facts upon which the crime or offense of trespass is based, and that such was the proximate cause of the collision. [317]*317The same point is urged as to the cross-action of the T&P.

In order to sustain the judgment overruling the pleas of privilege of the Yearwoods it was necessary that the ad-ministratrix plead and establish a cause of action for trespass. She did not plead crime or offense. The factor of solution in the determination of the case is the determination of the issue as to whether she plead and proved a cause of action constituting a trespass. Compton v. Elliot, 126 Tex. 232, 88 S.W.2d 91, 95. “The venue facts * * * under exception 9 are that the crime, offense, or trespass was in fact committed and that it was committed in the county where the suit is pending.” Compton v. Elliot, supra. Here a crime or offense is not relied upon to obtain venue, hut the provision of said exception as to a trespass is relied upon. Findings of fact and conclusions of law were not requested by the Yearwoods. If properly plead and there is evidence to sustain same, a finding of trespass must be attributed to the trial court.

There is no dearth of authority in this state as to what constitutes a trespass within the meaning of said exception No. 9. 43rd Tex.Jur. p. 735, par. 22; 9 Tex.Jur., 10 year Sup. p. 600-604.

In the case of Jackson v. McClendon, 143 Tex. 577, 187 S.W.2d 374, 376, Judge Slatton, writing the opinion for the court, said: “To constitute a trespass there must be an affirmative act as distinguished from a mere failure to act. Such act need not be inherently unlawful. It may be inherently right if properly performed, and yet be, if performed in a culpably negligent manner resulting in injury to another, a misfeasance or trespass as to such person.” In the court’s opinion the following is quoted with approval from the case of Murray v. Oliver, Tex.Civ.App., 61 S.W.2d 534, 536: “The driving of a heavily loaded truck upon a public highway without having it equipped with adequate brakes is not a mere negligent omission of duty. Such act consists not merely in the failure to equip the truck with adequate brakes, but involves the negligent operation of it in such unsafe condition, which is a positive act of negligence.”

In the instant case the driver of the truck with a trailer attached containing a highly explosive and inflammable liquid drove same on the track knowing of the approach of the train; the train struck the trailer, the liquid exploded and flamed forth causing the death of Engineer Nichols. We think the evidence is ample to sustain the imputed finding of a trespass.

It is implicit in the case of Compton v. Elliot, supra, that the negligence must be a proximate cause of the injury. In the case of Bates v. Stinnett, Tex.Civ.App., 170 S.W.2d 644, and in Heard & Heard v. Kuhnert, Tex.Civ.App., 155 S.W.2d 817, it is held in substance that proximate cause is one of venue facts that must be proved in order to come within the exception involved, i.. e., the trespass must be a proximate cause of the injury.

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Yearwood v. Nichols
230 S.W.2d 313 (Court of Appeals of Texas, 1950)

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Bluebook (online)
230 S.W.2d 313, 1950 Tex. App. LEXIS 2111, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/yearwood-v-nichols-texapp-1950.