Peoples Ry. Co. v. Spindler

Ohio Supreme Court
Peoples Ry. Co. v. Spindler, 4 Ohio Law. Abs. 540 (Ohio 1926)

Peoples Ry. Co. v. Spindler

Opinion of the Court

Sue Spindler brought this action originally in the Montgomery Common Pleas against the Peoples Railway Company for damages arising from a collision between her automobile and an electric car belonging to the company.

It appears that a collision occurred between an electric car owned by the company and Spindler’s automobile while she was crossing the tracks at a cross-over in a public highway.

The error complained of is the court permitting the following question to be asked and answered by the motorman operating the electric car:

“Did you understand at that time that whenever a street car and an automobile came to a crossing the one that gets to the crossing first has the right of way?”

Another error complained of is the court’s refusal to charge as follows:

“As a matter of law the motorman was not required to immediately attempt to bring his car to a full stop just because he saw the automobile stopped near the crossing?”

Spindler recovered a verdict and the Court of Appeals affirmed the judgment.

The Company in the Supreme Court contends:

1. That the question asked the motorman was one of law and therefore not competent to be answered by a witness.

2. That the court erred in refusing to charge the jury as requested because such requested charge was true as a matter of law.

Reference

Full Case Name
PEOPLES RY. CO. v. SPINDLER
Status
Published