Woods v. Houser, Unpublished Decision (9-15-2000)
Woods v. Houser, Unpublished Decision (9-15-2000)
Opinion of the Court
DID THE TRIAL COURT COMMIT PREJUDICIAL ERROR WHEN IT GRANTED CIVIL RULE 12 (b)(6) RELIEF TO TAYLOR ON ALL CLAIMS AND TO HOUSER ON CLAIMS 3-11?
Appellants filed their complaint against appellee Houser, appellee Taylor and several other defendants who are not parties to this appeal. Appellants alleged appellee Taylor owns and operates Gene Taylor Air Sports, and leases a hanger at the county airport from which he engages in a parachute school and sky diving for profit. On the 27th day of September, 1998, appellee Houser jumped from an airplane and parachuted to appellants' property. Appellants informed Houser she was trespassing, and attempted to detain her until the sheriff arrived. Appellants allege Houser grabbed Judith Woods and threw her to the ground, injuring her left knee.
Since the 1970's, appellants have planted crops and raised livestock on 925 acres located in Greenfield Township, Fairfield County, Ohio, adjacent to the airport. Appellants' complaint alleges sky divers have repeatedly landed on their property without permission, screaming and operating video cameras. Appellants alleged the parachuters have startled and stampeded their cattle, causing injury and death, and the parachuters have damaged appellants' crops. Appellants allege they complained to the airport and other authorities. Appellants allege the various defendants knew or should have known the skydivers land on their private property. Appellants allege the various defendants allowed the skydiving to continue, and the trespass to continue by failing to ensure adequate jump zones. Appellants also alleged the various defendants were aware of the damages and of the animosity between the parachuters and appellants, but nevertheless persisted in their behavior.
Appellants' complaint breaks the action down into eleven claims: Assault, trespass, invasion of privacy, intentional infliction of emotional distress, negligent infliction of emotional distress, agency, aiding and abetting, ratification, nuisance, injunction, and slander. The trial court found appellants had failed to state any claims specific to appellee Taylor, and dismissed the entire complaint as to him. The trial court found that as to appellee Houser, all counts except for the assault and trespass should be dismissed. The trial court dismissed the counts without prejudice, and stated there was no just reason for delay.
We find appellant's first assignment of error does not assert an error of the trial court, and in light of our previous decision, is moot.
The first assignment of error is overruled.
The trial court dismissed the cause of action for assault against appellee Taylor. The parties concede Taylor was not present at the confrontation between appellant and appellee Houser, so appellants have alleged various theories under which Taylor can be vicariously liable. Appellants' sixth claim against Taylor alleges Taylor has the right to control appellee Houser and all other people who parachute and sky dive. Appellants' seventh claim alleges Taylor aided and abetted appellee Houser because he knew or should have known the parachutists were landing on appellants' property and should have known of the animosity this creates. Appellants' eighth claim alleges Taylor has ratified Housers' action by continuing in the practice which led to the trespass and the animosity.An agency relationship requires a principal who controls the actions of his agent in obtaining the principal's objective, see e.g., Grigsby v. O.K. Travel (1997),
Taylor points out Houser was merely a customer of his business. The gist of appellants' allegations are that Taylor knew or should have known the continuing trespass would lead to a confrontation and a tortious exchange. Assault is an intentional tort, however, and there is no allegation Taylor intended the continuing trespass to lead to a physical confrontation or directed Houser to assault appellants. We find the complaint does not state a claim against Taylor for the intentional tort of assault under the agency theory of liability, either direct, ratifying after the fact, or through aiding and abetting. Accordingly, the trial court correctly dismissed the assault claim against Taylor.
The trial court did dismiss the trespass claim against appellee Taylor. As stated, supra, appellants allege appellee Taylor persisted in operating his business in such a way that his customers repeatedly trespassed on appellants' property, causing damages. Appellee Taylor argues a person is not liable for a trespass committed by another unless the defendant has instructed the third person to trespass, citing Biomedical Innovations v.McLaughlin (1995),
Although the complaint is somewhat inartfully drafted, nevertheless, we find appellants have alleged sufficient facts going to each of the elements of the tort of trespass such that, if proven, Taylor could be held liable for appellants' damages. In essence, appellants allege Taylor could control where his customers would land. Accordingly, we find the trial court improper dismissed the trespass claim against Taylor.
Appellees urge appellants have alleged and sought no damages, although they concede the injunction claim is a remedy for nuisance.
R.C.
A temporary order may be granted restraining an act when it appears by the petition that the plaintiff is entitled to the relief demanded, and such relief, or any part of it, consists in restraining the commission or continuance of such act, the commission or continuance of which, during the litigation, would produce great or irreparable injury to the plaintiff, or when, during the litigation, it appears that the defendant is doing, threatens or is about to do, or is procuring or permitting to be done, such act in violation of the plaintiff's rights respecting the subject of the action, and tending to render the judgment ineffectual.
A party seeking an injunction must establish the right to the injunction by clear and convincing evidence as to each element, see e.g. Vanguard Transportation Systems, Inc. v. Edwards Transfer Storage Company (1996),
Our review of appellants' complaint lead us to conclude appellants' claim for an injunction against appellees for maintaining a nuisance does state a claim for relief. For this reason, the trial court should not have dismissed this cause of action against appellees.
The complaint fails to allege appellees Taylor and or Houser participated in the posting of the minutes which allegedly published false statements about Judith Woods. For this reason, the trial court properly dismissed the eleventh cause of action as it pertained to appellees.
In conclusion, we find appellants' complaint set forth a cause of action against appellee Taylor for trespass, and nuisance, and properly seeks the continuing trespass and nuisance be enjoined.
The second assignment of error is overruled in part, and sustained in part.
For the forgoing reasons, the judgment of the Court of Common Pleas of Fairfield County, Ohio, is affirmed in part and reversed in part, and the cause is remanded to that court for further proceedings in accord with law and consistent with this opinion.
By GWIN, P.J., HOFFMAN, J., and READER, J., concur
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