Breslin v. Bates

• Decision Date: 04 October 1973
• Docket Number: No. 55378,55378
• Citation: 303 N.E.2d 807,14 Ill.App.3d 941
• Parties: Terrence BRESLIN, a minor, by Frank Breslin, his father and next friend, Plaintiff-Appellee, v. Sandra BATES et al., Defendants-Appellants.
• Court: United States Appellate Court of Illinois

Page 807

303 N.E.2d 807

14 Ill.App.3d 941

Terrence BRESLIN, a minor, by Frank Breslin, his father and next friend, Plaintiff-Appellee, v. Sandra BATES et al., Defendants-Appellants.

No. 55378.

Appellate Court of Illinois, First District, Third Division.

Oct. 4, 1973.

Hinshaw, Culbertson, Moelmann, Hoban & Fuller, by D. Kendall Griffith, of counsel, Morgan, Lanoff, Cook & Madigan, Chicago, for appellant Sandra Bates.

Schaffenegger & Watson, Chicago, for plaintiff-appellee, Terrence Breslin.

Lane, Falasz & Pollman, Chicago, for plaintiff-appellee and cross-appellant Robert Betley.

DEMPSEY, Presiding Justice.

On the evening of April 15, 1964, at the intersection of Nina and West Circle Avenues in Chicago, a collision occurred between two automobiles driven by Terrence Breslin and Sandra Bates. Robert Betley was a passenger in the Bates' vehicle. Three legal actions were instituted as a result of the accident.

Breslin filed a complaint seeking damages against Bates which charged her with the negligent operation of her automobile in that she: drove at an excessive speed, failed to keep a proper lookout for other traffic, did not sound a warning of her approach, failed to yield the right-of-way and did not keep her automobile under sufficient control. Bates denied she was guilty of negligence and filed a complaint alleging similar acts of negligence against Breslin. Breslin answered and likewise denied he was guilty of any negligence. The third complaint, that of Robert Betley, was in two counts: it charged Bates and Breslin with operating their automobiles in such a manner that a collision occurred resulting in his being injured. Identical acts of commission were alleged against them, although Breslin's behavior was termed negligent and Bates' willful and wanton. Specifically, it was asserted that they violated speed laws, disregarded traffic signals, did not stop when danger was imminent, and failed to warn Betley, to yield the right-of-way and to equip their vehicles with adequate brakes. Breslin and Bates denied liability and the three actions were consolidated for trial.

Following a jury trial verdicts were returned for Breslin and against Bates with damages assessed at $1,500; for Betley and against Bates with damages assessed at $10,000; for Breslin in Bates' action, and for Breslin in Betley's action against him. Motions for judgment notwithstanding the verdict and for a new trial were denied. Bates appeals from the judgments against her in favor of Breslin and Betley, and Betley appeals from the judgment finding Breslin not liable as to him.

West Circle Avenue follows a curving path, but generally runs from southeast to northwest. Nina Avenue is a straight thoroughfare from southwest to northeast. The two streets intersect at right angles and there were no traffic control devices at the intersection. The accident occurred at about 8:30 P.M.; the night was dark but clear, and street lights provided illumination.

Breslin, a minor, was driving northeast on Nina with his headlights on. He stated that he was traveling 15 to 18 miles per hour at the time of the accident. He intended to cross West Circle Avenue, and as he approached it he looked both to his left and to his right; he observed no oncoming vehicles and proceeded into the intersection. He had taken his foot off the gas pedal, was looking straight ahead and had gone three-fourths of the way across Circle when there was a swerve, a flash, and he collided with another vehicle coming from the right.

That automobile, which Breslin did not see until a second prior to the collision, was driven by Sandra Bates, also a minor. She, accompanied by five passengers, including Robert Betley, was driving northwest on Circle Avenue with the intention of crossing Nina Avenue. Her headlights were turned on, and she stated at the trial that she was traveling at a speed of 25 miles an hour. However, testimony was introduced tending to show that her speed was excessive. As she neared the intersection she observed two headlights to her left from a vehicle which appeared to be farther away from the intersection than hers. She stepped on the gas and went straight ahead. The next thing she knew her car was struck; it came to a stop on the parkway on the south side of Circle, approximately 130 feet west of Nina. The impact spun Breslin's automobile around so that it came to rest facing south, having crossed the intersection.

Although the lawsuits resulting from the accident were tried together, the burdens of proof borne by the parties were not identical. The complaints filed by Breslin and Bates against each other and Betley's complaint against Breslin were based upon allegations of negligence, not willful and wanton misconduct. Betley, who was a passenger in Bates' auto asserted she was guilty of willful and wanton misconduct. By returning a verdict in his favor the jury showed that it agreed with his characterization of her behavior. On appeal the question has arisen whether the jury's finding in the action between Betley and Bates affects Breslin's burden of proof as to his own freedom from negligence. Negligence and willful and wanton misconduct are not synonymous; indeed, negligence and willfulness have been declared to be as unmixable as oil and water (Bartolucci v. Falleti (1943), 382 Ill. 168, 46 N.E.2d 980.) We see no justification for holding that the finding of the jury in the Betley v. Bates suit has any bearing upon the standard of proof Breslin had to make in order to sustain the jury's determination in his favor in the actions between Bates and himself.

Bates initially seeks reversal of the Breslin judgment. She contends that he should be precluded from recovery because he was guilty of contributory negligence in failing to yield the right-of-way, in not keeping a proper lookout and in not decreasing his speed to avoid colliding with her automobile. Since she seeks such a determination as a matter of law she must show that all the evidence bearing upon Breslin's negligence, when viewed most favorably toward her, so overwhelmingly established his negligence that no verdict in his favor could ever stand. Moore v. Checker Taxi Company, Inc. (1971), 133 Ill.App.2d 588, 273 N.E.2d 514.

Breslin testified that when he was fifty feet from the intersection of Nina and Circle he looked to his right, down Circle. Leon Kersey, an investigating police officer, stated that at this intersection the houses were set back fifty feet from the street. This set-back enhanced Breslin's ability to observe oncoming vehicles. Although Circle was curved, he could see about the distance of six houses before his vision was obstructed and he saw no vehicle approaching. His speed was between 15 and 18 miles an hour and he took his foot off the gas pedal when he entered the intersection. Whether Breslin was telling the truth and whether he was justified in believing he could safely proceed through the intersection were questions for the jury to determine. Payne v. Kingsley (1965), 59 Ill.App.2d 245, 207 N.E.2d 177. At the trial two of the passengers in the Bates' automobile testified to the fast speed at which she was driving. Kersey testified that she admitted at the scene of the accident that she exceeded the speed limit while going west on Circle. The jury might have concluded that if she had been driving at a proper speed, Breslin would have had time to cross the intersection before she reached it, or would have had a greater opportunity to see her automobile and yield the right-of-way, or could have reacted in a manner to avoid colliding with her. On the other hand, the jury had before it Robert Betley's estimate that Breslin's speed was over 50 miles on hour, and it also had heard statements by occupants of the Bates' auto that when it approached the intersection the headlights of Breslin's car were to the left and farther away from the intersection than the Bates' auto.

The jury apparently accepted Breslin's testimony regarding the speed at which he drove his automobile and the effort he made to keep a proper lookout, and determined that he exercised due care for his safety and that of others. What evidence constitutes contributory negligence is ordinarily a question of fact, and each case must be determined according to its own facts and circumstances. Murad v. Witek (1964), 48 Ill.App.2d 137, 199 N.E.2d 809. Whether he was contributorily negligent was a question properly submitted to the jury and, as we cannot say a conclusion opposite to its determination is clearly evident, the jury's verdict will not be disturbed on that ground.

[5,6] Our conclusion that sufficient evidence was presented to make the issue of Breslin's negligence a proper question for the jury bears upon two more contentions of the parties in this appeal. First, Betley asserts that Breslin was negligent as to him in failing to yield the right-of-way, not keeping a proper lookout, and not decreasing his speed to avoid a collision. However, his arguments are similar to those raised by Bates and our previous discussion and conclusion are controlling. Therefore, Betley's contention must be rejected. Second, Bates asserts that she is entitled to judgment against Breslin notwithstanding the verdict. Our rejection of this contention need not be based solely upon our previous conclusion. There was sufficient evidence presented to support a finding that Bates herself was negligent.

Three witnesses testified that she drove at an excessive speed; she asserts, however, that their testimony on that subject was incompetent and incredible. As previously noted, officer Kersey stated that Bates admitted to him after the accident that she had exceeded the speed limit on West Circle. Bates objects to this statement since Kersey did not testify at what point on West Circle she had been going over the speed...