Himebaugh v. Plain Local School District, Unpublished Decision (1-10-2000)
Himebaugh v. Plain Local School District, Unpublished Decision (1-10-2000)
Opinion of the Court
OPINION
Plaintiffs Timothy and Sandra Himebaugh, individually and as parents and natural guardians of Amanda Himebaugh, a minor appeal a summary judgment of the Court of Common Pleas of Stark County, Ohio, entered in favor of defendants Plain Local School District and Dinah Peddicord. Appellants assign two errors to the trial court:I. THE TRIAL COURT ERRED TO THE PREJUDICE OF PLAINTIFF/APPELLANT BY UPHOLDING SUMMARY JUDGEMENT IN FAVOR OF DEFENDANT PLAIN LOCAL SCHOOL DISTRICT.II. THE TRIAL COURT ERRED TO THE PREJUDICE OF PLAINTIFF/APPELLANT BY UP HOLDING SUMMARY JUDGMENT IN FAVOR DEFENDANT DINAH PEDDICORD.
Appellants' statement pursuant to Loc. App. R. 9(A) asserts the summary judgment was inappropriate both as a matter of law and also inappropriate because there are genuine issues of material fact. The parties agree on March 2, 1998, Amanda Himebaugh was a nine year old fourth grade student at Plain Center Elementary School. During the after-lunch recess, while the children were playing on the playground, defendant Jonathan Hartman, who is not a party to this appeal, threw a rock, striking Amanda Himebaugh in the head and causing her permanent injuries. Jonathan Hartman had been diagnosed with attention deficient disorder, and the school was supposed to give him medication for this condition at 12:00 noon. School records indicate the school failed to give Jonathan his medication on the day in question. Because of his disability, Jonathan was a discipline problem who needed close supervision, and he associated with a group of boys who also had to be constantly watched. Appellee Plain Local employed three non-instructional aides to supervise the students during the after-lunch recess period. Appellee Peddicord was one of those aides. On the day in issue, Peddicord observed Jonathan playing with the rock that injured Amanda for some period of time prior to the incident. Peddicord's deposition reflects she recognized the rock a as potential hazard, and was afraid Jonathan could hurt someone with the rock. Appellee Peddicord observed Hartman throw or kick the rock at a balance beam near other children. Peddicord knew Hartman had injured other children in the past. Appellee Peddicord told Jonathan at least twice to put the rock down because she feared he was going to hurt someone. Appellee Peddicord testified she did not take the rock away from the child because she did not want to carry it around. When told to put the rock down, Jonathan put the rock down, but picked it back up. At that point, appellee Peddicord's attention was drawn to another child, and Jonathan threw the rock, striking Amanda. Jonathan's deposition reflects he intended to throw the rock when he picked it up the first time. Jonathan knew he was not supposed to throw rocks, and testified although on other occasions on the playground monitors had taken rocks or sticks away from children, appellee Peddicord never requested he give the rock to her. At some time prior to this incident, Plain Local had placed rocks in a drainage ditch adjacent to the playground area to correct an erosion problem. The rock which struck Amanda was of the same size and type as the rock which Plain Local brought to the premises to correct the drainage ditch problem. During the 1997-1998 academic year, the school had adopted playground rules, including a no-throwing rule. The children and the playground monitors were notified of the rules at the beginning of the school year. According to the discipline plan, if the school staff observes a student throwing an object, the staff person is required issue a discipline slip and a verbal warning is not considered sufficient. The principal testified the playground monitors have no discretion with respect to hazards, and must report the hazard or take action on it themselves if they are able. The school also employs a custodian who performs a routine check of playground equipment and grounds on a daily basis to make sure it was safe for the children. The head custodian, Stephen Hickman, testified he patrolled the grounds of the school picking up any debris or substances which could be a hazard. Hickman testified he most definitely would have picked up the rock, considering it a hazard. On the day in question, unfortunately, Hickman was absent and a substitute custodian was present. The substitute custodian testified he was never told he was supposed to take care of the playground area or inspect it before the children used it. Civ.R. 56 (C) states in pertinent part: Summary judgment shall be rendered forthwith if the pleading, depositions, answers to interrogatories, written admissions, affidavits, transcripts of evidence in the pending case, and written stipulations of fact, if any, timely filed in the action, show that there is no genuine issue as to any material fact and that the moving party is entitled to judgment as a matter of law. No evidence or stipulation may be considered except as stated in this rule. A summary judgment shall not be rendered unless it appears from such evidence or stipulation and only therefrom, that reasonable minds can come to but one conclusion and that conclusion is adverse to the party against whom the motion for summary judgment is made, such party being entitled to have the evidence or stipulation construed most strongly in his favor. A summary judgment, interlocutory in character, may be rendered on the issue of liability alone although there is a genuine issue as to the amount of damages.
A trial court should not enter a summary judgment if it appears a material fact is genuinely disputed, nor if, construing the allegations most favorably towards the non-moving party, reasonable minds could draw different conclusions from the undisputed facts, Hounshell v. American States Insurance Company (1981),
In State ex rel. Ohio Academy of Trial Lawyers v. Scheward (1999),
(5) the political subdivision is immune from liability if the injury, death, or loss to persons or property resulted from the exercise of judgment or discretion in determining whether to acquire, or how to use, equipment, supplies, materials, personnel, facilities, and other resources unless the judgment or discretion was exercised with malicious purpose, in bad faith, or in a wanton or reckless manner.
Appellants urge reasonable minds could differ regarding whether Plain's failure to remove the rock was the type of judgment or discretion contemplated within the immunity statute supra. The depositions of Principal Smith and Custodian Hickman demonstrate Plain had formulated maintenance policies and procedures, which in this case, it did not follow. Appellant cites us to Perkins v. Norwood City Schools (1999),
For the foregoing reasons, the judgment of the Court of Common Pleas of Stark County, Ohio, is reversed, and the cause is remanded to that court for further proceedings in accord with law and consistent with this opinion.
By GWIN, J., WISE, P.J., and EDWARDS, J., concur.
Case-law data current through December 31, 2025. Source: CourtListener bulk data.