Fagan v. City of Vineland
| Citation | 22 F.3d 1296 |
| Decision Date | 29 April 1994 |
| Docket Number | 92-5482,Nos. 92-5481,92-5551 and 92-5594,No. 92-5551,No. 92-5481,M,No. 92-5482,No. 92-5594,A,92-5481,92-5594,92-5551,s. 92-5481 |
| Parties | Sarah E. FAGAN, General Administratrix and Administratrix Ad Prosequendum of the Estate of Michael J. Fagan, Deceased v. The CITY OF VINELAND, a Municipal Corporation of the State of New Jersey; Joseph Cassisi, Jr., Chief of Police of the City of Vineland; Police Officers David Tesoroni; Peter F. Coccaro, III; Benny Velez; Phillip C. Bocceli; Richard Putnam; David Cardana; Mario R. Brunetta, Jr.; John Does, (fictitious names) representing other police officers of the City of Vineland Police Department; Town Liquors, a/d/b/a VTL, Inc.; Marquez Amnon Corporation, a/d/b/a East Landis Hotel and Motel; John Doe, (fictitious name) agent, servant or employee selling liquors for Marquez Amnon Corporation, a/d/b/a East Landis Hotel and Motel; Jeffrey T. Pindale; and Mary Ellen Duke, Administratrix of the Estate of Christopher M. Duke, Deceased, jointly, severally and in the alternative. Wanda PINDALE v. TOWN LIQUORS, a/d/b/a VTL, Inc.; John Doe I, (fictitious name) agent, servant or employee selling liquors for Town Liquors, a/d/b/a VTL, Inc.; Marquez Amnon Corporation a/d/b/a East Landis Hotel and Motel; John Doe II, (fictitious name) agent, servant or employee selling liquors for Marquez Amnon Corporation, a/d/b/a East Landis Hotel and Motel; The City of Vineland, a Municipal Corporation of the State of New Jersey; Joseph Cassisi, Jr., Chief of Police of the City of Vineland; David Tesoroni; John Doe III; and John Doe IV, (fictitious names) representing other police officers of the City of Vineland Police Department; and Jeffrey T. Pindale, jointly, severally and in the alternative v. Mary Ellen DUKE, Administratrix of the Estate of Christopher M. Duke, Third Party Defendant. Maurice G. DAVIS, Jr. v. VTL, INC. a/d/b/a Town Liquors; John Doe I, (fictitious name) agent, servant or employee selling liquors for VTL, Inc., a/d/b/a Town Liquors; Marquez Amnon Corporation a/d/b/a East Landis Hotel and Motel; John Doe II, (fictitious name) agent, servant or employee selling liquor |
| Court | United States Courts of Appeals. United States Court of Appeals (3rd Circuit) |
Gerald M. Eisenstat, Harry Furman (argued), Eisenstat, Gabage, Berman & Furman, Vineland, NJ, for appellant Sarah E. Fagan.
John M. Fitzpatrick, Dilworth, Paxson, Kalish & Kauffman, Philadelphia, PA, for appellant Mary Ellen Duke.
Arnold Robinson, Milville, NJ, for appellant Wanda Pindale.
Harold B. Shapiro, Dana D. Teague, Shapiro & Shapiro, Vineland, NJ, for appellant Maurice G. Davis, Jr.
Frank G. Basile, Basile, Testa & Testa, Vineland, NJ, for appellant Albino Genetti.
A. Michael Barker (argued), Horn, Goldberg, Gorny, Daniels, Paarz, Plackter & Weiss, Atlantic City, NJ, for appellees City of Vineland, David Tesoroni, Peter F. Coccaro, III, Benny Velez, Phillip C. Bocelli, Richard Putnam, David Cardana, David Cassisi, Sr. and Mario R. Brunetta, Jr.
Richard M. Pescatore, Perlow, Sebera & Pescatore, Bridgeton, NJ, for appellee Town Liquors a/d/b/a VTL, Inc.
Stacy L. Moore, Jr., Parker, McCary & Criscuolo, Marlton, NJ, for appellee Marquez Amnon Corp. d/b/a East Landis Hotel and Motel.
Peter W. Sachs, Sachs & Sachs, Holmdel, NJ, for appellee Estate of Christopher M. Duke.
Before: SLOVITER, Chief Judge, and BECKER, STAPLETON, MANSMANN, GREENBERG, HUTCHINSON, SCIRICA, COWEN, NYGAARD, ALITO, ROTH and LEWIS, Circuit Judges.
Before us is the appeal of the district court's order granting summary judgment to the defendant police officers, the City of Vineland, and defendant Town Liquors in a suit brought by and on behalf of the estates of persons injured by a car driven by Jeffrey Pindale which was the subject of a police pursuit. The principal issue before the in banc court is the standard to be applied to claims that the police pursuit violated substantive due process. Because we are reviewing a grant of summary judgment, we will view the facts and all inferences to be drawn therefrom in the light most favorable to the nonmoving parties, the plaintiffs. See Clement v. Consolidated Rail Corp., 963 F.2d 599, 600 (3d Cir.1992).
The events which are the subject of the lawsuit began at about 1:55 a.m. on March 6, 1988, when defendant Officer David Tesoroni of the Vineland Police Department was on routine patrol on Landis Avenue in Vineland, New Jersey. Landis Avenue is the main street running through the City's business district and is a popular gathering and cruising place for young people. As Officer Tesoroni headed west on Landis Avenue, he spotted a white Camaro heading east. The Camaro was not speeding, but a passenger was standing up through the car's open T-top roof and waving his arms. The car was driven by Jeffrey Pindale, age 20; the passengers were his wife Wanda Pindale, age 19, and his friends Albert Stavoli, age 19, and Maurice Davis, Jr., age 19.
Unknown at that time to Officer Tesoroni, Jeffrey Pindale had purchased two bottles of Strawberry Hill Wine from defendant Town Liquor on March 5, 1988, and had spent the evening eating and drinking with his wife and friends Stavoli and Davis. Jeffrey Pindale drank the Strawberry Hill wine as well as alcoholic beverages purchased from other vendors. After the accident, his blood alcohol level was .12%.
When he saw the Camaro, Tesoroni made a U-turn on Landis Avenue and accelerated. He intended to give the driver a warning regarding a violation described by him as "allowing his passenger to ride on parts not intended for." Plaintiffs' App. at 15. The Camaro turned right onto Eighth Street and headed south into a residential neighborhood. Tesoroni followed the Camaro onto Eighth Street and, as he made the turn, activated his overhead lights but not his siren. The Camaro drove for two blocks south to the intersection with Grape Street. Up until this point, Tesoroni was following the Camaro solely because he wanted to warn the driver about allowing his passenger to stand through the T-top.
The Camaro turned right onto Grape Street, entering a residential neighborhood which had a 25 mile-per-hour speed limit. The Camaro accelerated to between 35 and 40 miles per hour and, heading west, drove through two stop signs where it slowed down but failed to stop. Tesoroni accelerated to between 30 to 35 miles per hour and followed the Camaro, slowing down but not stopping for the stop signs. The Camaro turned left onto Sixth Street and headed south for one block, and then left again onto Montrose...
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