McNichols v. Rennicker, Unpublished Decision (12-18-2002)
McNichols v. Rennicker, Unpublished Decision (12-18-2002)
Opinion of the Court
OPINION
{¶ 1} Plaintiff-appellant Alisa McNichols [hereinafter appellant] appeals the March 12, 2002, Judgment Entry of the Tuscarawas Court of Common Pleas. In that Judgment Entry, the trial court found that appellant had failed to prove civil claims brought against defendant-appellee Brian Rennicker [hereinafter appellee].{¶ 3} A civil trial was held on January 27, 2002. At the trial, appellant testified that she and appellee had a personal relationship that was often times troubled. According to appellant, on March 30, 2000, appellee entered appellant's apartment without permission and an argument ensued. Appellant testified that, despite being told to leave, appellee did not leave and started throwing appellant's things around. Appellant admitted that, at that point, she hit appellee. Appellant claimed that appellee then hit her in the face and threw her to the floor. Appellant claimed that when she fell to the floor, her elbow was injured. Appellant underwent multiple surgeries and incurred medical bills.
Appellant also testified that even though she told appellee not to call her, appellee began to call her after she was released from the hospital. Appellant testified that sometimes appellee would not say anything, but other times appellee would speak to appellant. Appellant testified that she asked appellee to stop calling and ultimately filed a police report.
{¶ 4} Appellant testified that she had sought and obtained a civil protection order [hereinafter CPO] against appellee in a different case. In granting the CPO, the trial court held, in relevant part, that appellee had made multiple hang up phone calls to appellant and that appellee "knowingly engaged in a pattern of conduct designed to cause [appellant] to believe that he will cause physical harm to [appellant] or cause mental distress to [appellant]." CPO, para. 10. The trial court also found that appellant "is very fearful of [appellee] since the 3/30/00 incident. The repeated pattern of phone calls and unwanted contacts have caused mental distress to [appellant]." Id. As to allegations regarding injuries to appellant's elbow, the trial court made no definite findings as to how the injury occurred, noting that the parties had differing versions of what happened. Id. at para. 3. Appellant entered the CPO into evidence.
{¶ 5} Appellee testified, providing a different account of events. Appellee admitted he was in appellant's apartment on the date in question. However, appellee claimed that it was appellant who hit appellee. Appellee stated that through appellant's assault of appellee, appellant caused her own injury to her elbow.
{¶ 6} After the bench trial, the trial court issued a decision on March 12, 2002. The trial court found that appellant had failed to prove her claims and found that appellee had failed to prove his counterclaims.
{¶ 7} It is from the March 12, 2002, Judgment Entry that appellant appeals, raising the following assignment of error:
"The trial court erred in finding that Plaintiff had failed to prove her claims by a preponderance of the evidence."
{¶ 8} In the sole assignment of error, appellant contends that the trial court erred when it found that appellant failed to prove her civil claims by a preponderance of the evidence. We disagree.
{¶ 9} We will first consider appellant's argument that the record supports appellant's claims for civil battery and civil assault. Appellant contends that the record demonstrates that appellee committed civil battery against appellant on March 30, 2000, when appellee caused appellant to suffer a fractured arm. Appellant contends that the record also demonstrates that appellee committed civil assault against appellant based upon appellant's testimony at trial in which she testified that appellee's aggressive and hostile conduct in appellant's home caused her to fear for her safety.
{¶ 10} In essence, appellant raises manifest weight of the evidence issues. A judgment supported by competent and credible evidence going to all the elements of the case must not be reversed, by a reviewing court as being against the manifest weight of the evidence. Masitto v. Masitto (1986),
The tort of battery consists of an "intentional, unconsented-to touching." Anderson v. St. Francis-St. George Hosp., Inc. (1996),
{¶ 11} There is competent and credible evidence to support the trial court's conclusion that appellee was not civilly liable for civil assault and civil battery. Appellee testified that it was appellant that was caustic and abusive that day. Appellee testified that appellant kneed him in the head. Then, at a later point, as appellee left appellant's apartment, appellant threw a full pop can at appellee's head, hitting appellee in the head. Appellant's second attempt to throw the pop can at appellee resulted in pop on the floor and appellant slipping in the pop. Appellee testified that appellant injured her elbow when she slipped in the pop. Appellee denied causing appellant's injury and denied being aggressive and hostile. We find that there was competent, credible evidence upon which the trial court could rely to find that appellee had not committed civil assault or civil battery.
{¶ 12} We note that appellant and appellee presented conflicting accounts of the events of March 30, 2000. The Ohio Supreme Court has held that the choice between credible witnesses and their conflicting testimony rests solely with the finder of fact, and an appellate court may not substitute its judgment for that of the fact finder. State v. Awan (1986),
Appellant also argues that the record supports appellant's claims for menacing by stalking1 and telephone harassment.2 Appellant brought these claims pursuant to R.C.
{¶ 13} We find that we do not reach the arguments raised by appellant. Appellant's civil claims were brought pursuant to R.C.
{¶ 14} Appellant's sole assignment of error is overruled.
{¶ 15} The judgment of the Tuscarawas Court of Common Pleas is affirmed.
Judgment affirmed.
Hoffman, P.J. and Boggins, J. concur.
Re: Civil Assault battery
"(B) No person shall make or cause to be made a telecommunication, or permit a telecommunication to be made from a telecommunications device under the person's control, with purpose to abuse, threaten, or harass another person." R.C.
"No person shall, while communicating with any other person over a telephone, threaten to do bodily harm or use or address to such other person any words or language of a lewd, lascivious, or indecent character, nature, or connotation for the sole purpose of annoying such other person; nor shall any person telephone any other person repeatedly or cause any person to be telephoned repeatedly for the sole purpose of harassing or molesting such other person or his family." R.C.
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