189 A.D. 209 | N.Y. App. Div. | 1919
On the 3d day of September, 1918, the plaintiff’s intestate, while crossing the carriageway of Convent avenue, from west to east, at or near the southerly crosswalk of West One Hundred and Thirty-third street, was struck, knocked down and injured by a motor truck owned by the defendant and engaged in its business, which was going southerly on
The uncontroverted evidence shows that the carriageway was thirty-nine feet in width and was paved; that there was no other vehicle or any obstruction on the avenue; that it was a bright, dry day; that the accident occurred between four and five o’clock in the afternoon; that the truck was traveling in the middle of the pavement until after it came opposite an electric light pole which was located at the westerly curb about midway between the northerly line and the northerly curb line of West One Hundred and Thirty-third street; that the decedent had wheeled a baby carriage containing his infant child about eight months of age across the avenue from the easterly side and left it on the sidewalk at the southwesterly corner of the avenue and One Hundred and Thirty-third street and was attempting to cross back to the easterly sidewalk where he had left his little boy about three years of age. The evidence is also in substantial accord to the effect that the decedent was within about four or five’feet of the easterly curb of the avenue when he was run over by the truck, and that after it struck him it continued -on over "the curb, onto the sidewalk, and against a stone wall at the easterly side of the avenue, striking the wall with great force.
On the part of the plaintiff evidence was given tending to show that the truck was approaching at a very rapid rate, namely, from twenty to thirty miles per hour, and that after the decedent had passed the middle of the carriageway and the lines within which the truck was traveling the course of the truck was changed, without any signal or warning, so that it followed and ran him down as stated. On the part of the defendant evidence was given tending to show that the
We are of opinion, therefore, that such ordinances should not be left to the consideration of a jury, unless it can be seen that a violation thereof may have had some direct connection with the accident as, for instance, where the person injured or killed had a right to expect compliance with the ordinance and did not discover that the vehicle was where it should not have been in time to avoid injury. In such case it might be said that he was prejudiced by the violation; but such is not the case at bar for here the decedent must have seen where the truck was.
It follows that the judgment and the order appealed from should be reversed and a new trial granted, with costs to the appellant, to abide the event.
Clarke, P. J., Dowling, Smith and Merrell, JJ., concurred.
Judgment and order reversed and new trial ordered, with costs to appellant to abide event.