Best v. United States Of America
Filing
31
MEMORANDUM OPINION. Signed by District Judge Glen E. Conrad on 5/29/15. (hnw)
CL S OFFI U. DI .CO!
ERK'
CE S. ST
AT ROANOKE,
VA
FI ED
L
I TH E UN I
N
TED STATES D I
STRI CO UR T
CT
FOR THE W ESTERN DI
STRI OF VI NI
CT
RGI A
CH AR LOTTESV I
LLE D I I ON
V SI
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ULI
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BY;
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. W ERK
M I I BEST,
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ai if
M EM O M N D UM O PI I N
N O
V.
UN I
TED STA TES O F AM ERI ,
CA
H on.Gl n E. o 'd
e
C ma
Chi Unied St t D i t i tJ
ef t
a es sr c udge
Def nt
enda .
M i i B e ttl t sac i a i tt U nie St t s pur ua t t Fe r lTol Cl i s
l e s i ed hi ton ga ns he t d a e
m
s nt o he de a
' am
t
Ac, 8U. C. j1 46b , 6 - 68 se n t rc ve f rij re t a s es tie wh ns e
t 2 S. j 3 () 2 712 0, e kig o e o r o nu is h t h usan d e h
w a sr k by a vehi l drve by D a sBr W ila s J . a r a m a lca e e pl d by t
s tuc
ce i n
ni uce li m , r , ur l i ni r m oye
he
Unied St t PosalSe vi Theca ei pr e l be or t co ton t Unied St t s m o i n
t
aes t r ce.
s s es nty f e he ur
he t
a e ' to
f rs mmayj dg n . Fo tef lo ngr a o s t emoinwil eg a td
o u r u me t r h olwi e s n ,h to lb r ne .
Fact Backzround
ual
The ac i
c denta i s oc ur e on t a t r
t s ue c r d
he f e noon ofO c obe 1 201 i A l m a l Co y,
t r 9, 2 n be re unt
V i gi a. The onl w ines e t t a i ntw e e Bes a W ila s Bes s f r f om
r ni
y t s s o he cc de
r
t nd li m .
t uf e s r
de enta a no l nge hasa r c l c i oft a ci nt
m i nd
o r
ny e ole ton he c de .
Att tmeoft a i t W ila wa he dnorhon Sc tvil Roa ( t 20)
he i
he ccden , lims s ade t
ots le d Roue
fom one a e ofhi mai r et a he . Hewa drvi aGr m man LongLieVe c e
r
ra
s l out o not r
s i ng
u
f hi l
(i ',whihf t e adrve ' sa a ve cec r sont rg sdeoft ve ce,a a
t
LLV'
) c eaur s i rs e t nd hil ontol he iht i
he hil nd
potm ir t tpr r s f om t l ts de oft ve c e.
r or ha otude r he ef i
he hi l
Bes , ho w as 8 yea s ol a t tm e oft a ci nt r s desa 1 Sc t vil Roa
tw
3 r d t he i
he c de , e i
t 882 ots le
d.
Tha por i ofScots le Roa ha a s ngl l ne i e c die ton di de by a do e lne, nd a
t ton
t vil
d s i e a n a h rci
vi d
ubl i a
speed lm i of55 m ies perhour.
i t
l
AsW ila sa oa he Bes' r i nc a a s d of45 m iesperhour W ila ss w
lim ppr c d ts esde e t pee
l
, li m a
Be ts a ng on t l f s de oft r d. Bes ' r i nc w asnoton W ila s m a lr t
s t ndi
he e t i
he oa
t s es de e
li m ' i ou e.
None hels ,
t e s upon s e ngBes,W ila ssowe hi ve c ebe us het
ei
t lim l d s hil ca e houghtt ts d i be
ha he t ght
m
co sn t . . a d( i mal rs mehng' W i imsDe Tr 1 . Be th nû c e u it
r s ig o . h n hml i o o t i .
' la
l
p. . 6
s te k k d p no
ba
t grs , c r ila )c i r a i c t t ts wasnot' 1 AsW ila got
he a s whih W lims onsdeed n ndiaor ha he
.' d.
lims
cl e ,how e r Bes ks i t d i o t r d ... ta di gona lke s ha t ge i f ontoft
os r
ve , t tpr n e nt he oa
a
a
l i he d o t n r
he
vehi l ' 1 a 1 W ila ss a m ed o hi br ke a s e v d t t rghti a a t m ptt
c e. d. t 7.
'
li m l m
n s a s nd w r e o he i n n te
o
avoi hitng Bes . H eha a m os c e t a c pl t s op w he Bes c os e i f ontoft LLV
d ti
t
d l t om o om e e t
n
t r sd n r
he
and w a sr k by t potm ir on t l ts de.
s tuc
he
r or he ef i
ProceduralH i orv
st
Be tfl d t i t ntac i a i tt Unied Stt onM a 5, 4, s ri ac am f
s ie he nsa
ton ga ns he t
a es
y 201 as e tng l i or
ne i nceunde t Fe r lTol Cl i sAc . Folo i t c
glge
r he de a 4 am
t
lw ng he ompl ton ofdic r t
ei
s ove y, he
UntdS ae mo e f rs mmayj d me t Th c u t edahe rngo t emoino M a 2 ,
ie tts v d o u r u g n . e o r h l ai n h to n y 6
201 The moton ha be n f l b if a i rpe f rr vi
5.
i
s e uly re ed nd s i o e ew.
Standard ofRevi
ew
An a r o s
wad f ummayj d me ti a prpraetftemo a ts wst tte ei n
r u g n s p o it s h v n ho ha h r s o
i
g n i ds uea t a ymae ilfc a dtemo a ti e tte t j g n a amatro lw.
e une ip t s o n tra a t n h v n s n i d o ud me t s te f a '
l
'
Fe R. v. 5 () I d tr nngwh te t g a t moinf rs mmayj dg n ,h c u t
d. Ci P. 6 a . n eemii
eh r o r n a to o u r u me tte o r
m us vi w t r or i t lghtm os f vor bl t t non- ova . A nder o v.Li r y Lobby.
t e he ec d n he i
t a a e o he
m nt
sn
be t
l c, 7 U. 2 2, 5 ( 9 6 . Towih tn as mmayj d me tmo in,h n n- v n mus
n .4 7 S. 4 2 5 1 8 )
t sa d u r u g n to te o mo a t t
pr
oduc s fc en e de f om w hi h a r s na e fnde off tcoul r ur a ve di ti her
e uf i i t vi nce r
c ea o bl i r ac
d et n
r c n
f vor 1 a 248. Sconcl o y or s ul tve a l ga i do nots fce nordoesa S e e
a . d. t
i
us r
pec a i le tons
uf i ,
m r
s i il ofe de e'i s
cntla vi nc n uppor ofghenon- nts ca e' Thomps v. oma Elc.
t t
mova 'j s .'
on Pot c e Power
Co.31 F. 6 649( h Ci.2002)( i Philpsv.CSX Trns ,l ,1 F. 285,
, 2 3d 45, 4t r
quotng li
a p. nc. 90 3d
287
(t Ci.1 ).
4h r 999)
D i cuss on
s i
I a tc f l d pur ua t t Fede alTor Cl i s Act f der lc t a y t
n c ims ie
s nt o he
r
t am
, e a our s ppl he
s t ntve 1 w oft sat i w hi h t a torom i son gi ng r s t t a ton occ r d.
ubs a i a
he t e n
c he c
si
vi i e o he c i
ur e
M yrc v. td Stt ,723F. 11 11 ( h Ci.1 . UnderVigi alw, i nc
ik Unie aes
2d 58, 59 4t r 983)
r ni a neglge e
S nnotbepr s
t
ca
e umedfom t m e eha
r he r ppeni ofa a ci nt' Col a M ot Fr ghtLi l
ng n c de .'
onil or ei
ne, nc.
v. nce 22lS. 2d 1 1 ( .1 . I ta t plitf beast bur ofpr ng(he
Na ,
E. 32, 37 Va 976) nse d,he anif r he den ovi C
t
e s e e ofa l galdut a br ac oft d y,a pr xi a e ca a i n r s tng i dam ag .
xi t nc
e
y, e h he ut nd o m t us t o e uli n
es '
'
Ati Uni OwnesAs ' v. ng,585S. 2d 5 5 ( 2003)
rum t
r sn Ki
E. 45, 48 Va.
.
Or na iy,ne i nce i a i s f rt fnde off c t dec de St utv. r hol çw ,
di rl
glge
s n s ue o he i r a t o i . o
Ba t om
5 S. 2d653,659( 2001 . k- ve , nt r i no e de et s
44 E.
Va. ) ll
lowe r whe hee s vi nc o uppor aconrr
t tay
c l i a t , ea ona em i c d no dif ra
onc us on nd, hus r s bl nds oul t f e boutt i s .. ,i i am a t rofl w f r
he s ue . t s
te
a o
acour t de i ' l ;s as Paham v. be t41 S. 2d 8 8 ( 1 2)
t o cde. d. ee lo r
'
Al r, 8 E. 66, 68 Va. 99 .
Sn eatndn o n gie c mu t b s do fcss fce t oj siyt ec ncuso t a
ic i ig f e l n e s be a e n a t ufiin t u tf h o l in h t
g
W ila svi a e s e l ldut owed t Be t k ti ne s a y att out e t di c st na u e
li m
ol t d om ega
y
o s , s s ce s r
i
he s t o s us he t r
a e e oft tdut ' Relyv.Dunna nt200F. 21 21 ( hCi.1 . I Vigni i
nd xtnt ha y. il
'
va ,
2d 3, 5 4t r 952) n r i a,t
i wel ete ta ithed ie o amo o v hceh sad t t us o dn r c r t manana
s ls tld h t k q rv r f tr e il a uy o e r iay ae o it i
g
pr
operl
ookout a t k p hi vehi l unde pr r c r . Lic or v. a
, nd o ce s
ce
r ope ontol' t hf d H ncoc 352 S. 2d
'
k,
E.
335,337( 1 . l dic r ngt ed i ,ad i ri r uie t us or nayc r t
Va. 987) n s ha gi hes utes rve s eq rd o e di r a e o
obs r ot ve cl and pe ti ns on t hi a t s e w ha a r as bl pe s w oul
e ve her hi es
desr a
he ghw y, o e
t e ona e r on
d
ha s n,a t r c asar a ona eper on w oul haver ct d unde t c r um s a est avoi
ve ee nd o ea t
e s bl
s
d
ea e
r he i c t nc o
d
a a i . I ;seas Reil 200F. a 21 (xpli ngt tadrve ofamotrve cl ti
n ccdent d. e lo ly,
2d t 5 e ani ha i r
o hi e is
bound t us r as bl ca e f t pr ec i ofpede t i nson t hi hw a a t pr ee w ih
o e e ona e r or he ot ton
s ra
he g y, nd o oc d t
s hca i a t cr umsa esma rquiet avoi e
uc uton s he ic tnc
y e r o d ndangei t m' . dti as tuet t
rng he ' ' s lo r ha
) I
t pedetin i rquiedt e r s ras bl caef g r o s ey, t mot itha a
he sra s e r o xecie e ona e r or he ) wn aft and he ors s
r ghtt a s e t ts h c r w ilbe e pl d. Reil 200 F. a 215.
i o s um ha uc a e l
m oye '
'
ly,
2d t
I t i t ntca e W ila s undiput dt si on i caest thewasdrvi unde t
n he nsa
s , li m '
s e e tm y ndi t ha
i ng
r he
pose s ed lm i whe hea oac d Be tsr sde ,t hesowed hi ve ce u s i
t d pe i t n
ppr he
s ' e i nce hat l
s hi l pon eeng
Be ts andi on t l ts de oft r d,a t tBes t n pr e d t bac up i t t gr s ,
s t ng
he ef i
he oa nd ha
t he oce de o k
n o he a s
w hi h i ca ed t W ila st ts w asnotgoi t c os t r d. W hen Be ts
c ndi t o li m ha he
ng o r s he oa
s udde y
nl
s i e a os t r d m om en s l t r W ila ss a m ed on hi br kesand s e ved hi ve c e
prnt d cr s he oa
t a e , li m l m
s a
w r
s hi l
i s a m a rt ti m i s hitng Bes ,s ve f t po m ir r
n uch
nne ha t s ed ti
t a or he t r o .
On t s r c d, he c tco l
hi e or t our nc udest tno r s na e fnde off c c d c ude t t
ha
ea o bl i r a t oul oncl ha
W ilam s f ie t us or na y c r t ke a pr rl
li
a l d o e di r a e o ep
ope ookoutort r a tasa r a ona e pe s
o ec
e s bl r on
wo d ha r a t d unde t cr
ul ve e c e
r he icumsa e W hieBe ta g st tW ila sco d ha
tnc s.
l s r ue ha lim
ul ve
c pl t l soppe hi ve cl a t rhe s w he sandi on t s de oft r
om e e y t
d s hi e f e
a
r t ng
he i
he oad,W ila sw a
li m
s
unde no dut t tket spa tculrc s ofaci ort ot r s a i pa et tBes woul r
r
y o a hi ri a our e
ton, o he wie ntci t ha
t
d un
ac os t r d,o e he s w he r t e ti o t gr s l t a W ila s ha t rghtt a s e
r s he oa nc
a
r e r a nt he as . ns e d, li m
d he i o s um
t tBe twasa r ofhi a oa ng ve cl a woul nots nl r a r st r d i fo
ha s
wa e
s ppr chi
hi e nd
d
udde y un c os he oa n r nt
of m. Se Rely 2 0F.da 21 ( ligt t d ie o amo o v hcewa du tfe i
hi
e il, 0 2 t 6 hodn ha a rv r f t r e il s j siid n
as um i t tt pl i i fwas a a e ofhi a oa h a w oul nota t ptt c os de e n '
s ng ha he a ntf
w r
s ppr c nd
d
tem o r s f nda t s
lneofta i cos pr miyt hi a t bie' ;seas She hvv.M uphy,380P. l 2,
i
rvel n l e oxi t o s uomo l ' e lo e
l
2d 5
1 54( i 1963 Ck r l s ki amoors mus e cs r a ona ec r twa d
53- Arz. ) Genealy pea ng, t it t xerie e s bl a e o r
pedesri
t ans. Butw her a pedes ran i s andi i a pl ofcom par i s et and appar l
e
t i s t ng n
ace
atve af y
enty
sees an appr
oachi aut obie,t drverhast r ghtt ass et t pedes ran w ilr ai
ng om l he i
he i o um hat he
ti
l em n
i t tpl eofsft a wilnots nl se it t pahofhi a omobie.)(ntr l
n ha ac aey nd l
udde y tp no he t
s ut
l ' i ena
'
ciai omitd)
ttons te .
l i unf t et W ila i u bl t ofe a i i a t wha tans r d a t tm e
t s orunat hat li ms s na e o f r ny nsght s o
t r pie t he i
oft ac i nt H ow e r V i gi a 1 w m a s c ea t tneg i nc Tc l o be pr um e f om
he c de .
ve , r ni a
ke l r ha
lge e t a m t
es d r
t m e e ha ni ofa ac i nt' a t tt f de i on t pl i ift pr
he r ppe ng
n c de , nd ha he s
'
bur n s he a ntf o oduc e de e of
e vi nc
pr ponde a i wei htf om w hi h t t i rof f tca fnd t tt def nda w a guit of
e
r tng
g r
c he r e
ac n i ha he e nt s ly
ne i ncewhih wa apr m ae c us oft a i nt' Fa r n v. l r, S. 2d 668,
glge
c
s oxi t a e he cc de .
' re Gibe t297 E.
670
( 1 2)(ntr lciain o te . Ba e ont c rntrcor t c tsc nce t t
Va. 98 i ena tto mitd) s d he ure e d,he our i onvi d ha
r s na e m i coul notdif rast t i s ofneglgenc a t tt U nie St t s i
ea o bl nds
d
fe
o he s ue
i e, nd ha he t d a e s
e tte t j d me t samatro 1w.
n ild o u g n a
te f a *
Concl i
uson
Fort r as nssa e t co twilg a t Unied St t s moton f s
he e o tt d, he ur l r nt he t
a e ' i or umm a y
r
j d me t Th Clr i dr ce t s n c p e o t i me rnd m o i o a dt e
u g n . e ek s ie td o e d o is f h s mo a u pnin n h
a om pa ng or rt a1 couns lofr or
cc
nyi
de o l
e
ec d.
ENTER: s 29 N da ofMay, 2015.
Thi
y
Chi Unie St t sDiti tJ
ef t d a e src udge
# Havi r ached t sdecii t c tfndsi unne s r t a es t is ofconti or
ng e
hi
son, he our i t
ces a y o ddr s he s ue
rbut y
neglgence. None hel s,hecour not t apedesran who çf l t s e orhee tafi t ti obvi and i
i
t es t
t es hat
ti
tais o e
d r fc ha s
ous
n
danger pr miyand contnue i o ispah'i gener l guit ofneglgenceasamaterofIw. Hops v.
ous oxi t
i s nt t t ' s
aly ly
i
t
a
on
Go lb 8 S. 2 l ,1 3( .1 5 .
os y, 6 E.d 49 5 Va 95 )
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