ÿWPC …# VUNa %¯ 0(µw@Ý4 1 0l@ 0D¬ 0Jð 0T: Ž 0^– 0hô 0r\ 0|Î 0†J 0Ð 1u` 0dÕ U>9B)wDC  AMãU*0 Z|e&áv~vÓ… D3X B‹ 0@¨ AOèÆ7 0Dý D/A Bp˜HP LaserJet 4SiHPPCL5MS,ü,,,,,ü0nLhÎ(ÖÃ9 Z ‹6Times New Roman RegularX($¡¡ Ö×EØÙEÚÛÜeÝgÞÓ€êÍD0"3|xê((3üÝ$¤¤Ý ƒ!ÝÝ  Ýà  àòòÚ  Ú0Ú  Úóó(#Ã$òòÚ  Ú0Ú  Úóó2 ÿÿ0Indent1Ô2ÔÔ3  Ô2" ÿÿ0Indent2à0 àÔ2ÔÔ3  Ô2, ÿÿ0Indent3à0 àà0 àÔ2ÔÔ3  Ô26 ÿÿ0Indent4à0 àà0 àà0 àÔ2ÔÔ3  Ô2@ ÿÿ0Indent5à0 àà0 àà0 àà0 àÔ2ÔÔ3  Ô2J ÿÿ0Indent6à0 àà0 àà0 àà0 àà0 àÔ2ÔÔ3  Ô2T ÿÿ0Indent7à0 àà0 àà0 àà0 àà0 àà0 àÔ2ÔÔ3  Ô2^ ÿÿ0Indent8à0 àà0 àà0 àà0 àà0 àà0 àà0 àÔ2ÔÔ3  Ô  ÿÿ?AGMSYaioIndent0I.A.1.a.(1)(a)i)a)P ÿÿ8Mac DefaultMac DefaultÓ ` °šXÓ< Œ 9p`(&Times New Roman% Line 7 d 7Border 1dd€-!Cþÿ << Gÿÿ< Œ 9p`(Arial Ý ƒ!ÝÑ#€d#ÑÔ€ÔÝ  ÝÔ€#ÔÔ€#ÔÓ  ÓÔ YYY ÔFILEDÔ€#XÔÌÌò òMay€16,€1997ÌÌCecil€Crowson,€Jr.ÌÔ€#ôÔAppellate€Court€Clerkó ó rÝ ƒ!ÝÑ#€d#ÑÔ€ÔÝ  ÝÝ ƒ $Ýà àòòÚ  ÚÚ  ÚóóÝ  Ýò òRule€10€(Court€of€Appeals).€€òòMemorandum€Opinionóóó ó.€€„„€(b)€The€Court,€withÏconcurrence€of€all€judges€participating€in€the€case,€may€affirm,€reverse€or€modify€the€actions€of€theÏtrial€court€by€memorandum€opinion€when€a€formal€opinion€would€have€no€precedential€value.€ÏWhen€a€case€is€decided€by€memorandum€opinion€it€shall€be€designated€ð ðMEMORANDUMÏOPINION,ðð€shall€not€be€published,€and€shall€not€be€cited€or€relied€on€for€any€reason€in€aÏsubsequent€unrelated€case.Ì Ý ƒ!ÝÑ#€d#ÑÔ€ÔÝ  ÝÝ ƒ $Ýà àòòÚ  ÚÚ  ÚóóÝ  ÝPlaintiffs€also€sued€Officer€Lezley€Johnson€who€was€dismissed€pursuant€to€T.C.A.€ðð€29„20„310(b)€of€the€Governmental€Tort€Liability€Act.ÌPtPtHHÚ(ÿáÿâùFG(üHHÚ(d'hStyl{WP}01•ÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃà Ãà Ãà Ãà Ãà ÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÐ ÐÐHHÐÐ  ÐÐ2ÐÐÿÿ¸æ$ÿÐÐHHÐÐÐÐÐÐÐÐ  ÐÐ ÐÐ ÐÑÑÑGenevaÑÑ ÑÑ € ÑÑ<Px–ÈÑÒÒÒ443!#4ÒÒ$ *$ÒÒ$*$ÒÒ ÿKK ÒÒ  Geneva ÒÒ  Geneva ÒÓ.,ÓÓÓÓ6ÓÓ ÓßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßÑGenevaÑÑ ÑÒ  h HD: Geneva ÒÒ  h HD: Geneva Ò++++'ÿÿdxd d("ÿÿ$££Ò  ÒÒ  Ò€-‚ƒCþÿ<< CÿÿƒLevel 1Level 2Level 3Level 4Level 5($$””ò òÚ  Ú1Ú  Úó ó„„'÷ÿ dxdüÿP PdÝ ƒ!ÝÔ . ÔÔ€ÔÝ  Ý›Ñ\R AØ'\ÑÓ` Ü` p”XÓÑ\R AØ'\ÑÑ7€v=XXdìdÈ7Ñœ›Þ ÞÌà@ àò òIN€THE€COURT€OF€APPEALS€OF€TENNESSEE,€WESTERN€SECTIONÌà@ àAT€JACKSONÌà@ à_______________________________________________________ÌÌó óà à)ò òÌKENNETH€R.€DOWNING€and€wife,ó óà à)à àShelby€County€Circuit€CourtÌò òBERTIE€DOWNINGó ó,à à)à àNo.€51371€T.D.Ìà à)Ì€€€€€Plaintiffs/Appellees.à à)à àC.€A.€NO.€02A01„9608„CV„00177Ìà à)ÌVS.à à)à àHON.€ROBERT€A.€LANIER,€JUDGEÌà à)Ìò òœÙ€€ÙßR€"$!A1-j|Î:` Å `€€@ÿRß›CITY€OF€MEMPHIS,ó óà à)à àò òAFFIRMED€&€REMANDEDó óÌà à)Ì€€€€€Defendant/Appellant.à à)à àOPINION€FILED:Ìà à)ÌÌò òMonice€Moore€Hagleró ó,€City€AttorneyÌò òAlicia€A.€Howardó ó,€Assistant€City€AttorneyÌfor€Defendant/Appellant.ÌÌò òR.€Layne€Holleyó ó,€BOURLAND,€HEFLIN,€ALVAREZ,€HOLLEY€&€MINOR,€PLC€Memphis,ÏTennessee,€for€Plaintiffs/Appellees.Ì______________________________________________________________________________ÌÌà@ àò òMEMORANDUM€OPINION× ƒ% ××  ×ó óÌ______________________________________________________________________________ÌÌÌÓÓÓ  ÓÓ` Ü` ˜XÓà àà àà àà àà àà àò òFarmer,€J.ÌÌó óà àKenneth€R.€Downing€and€Bertie€Downing€sued€the€City€of€Memphis× ƒ& ××  ×€for€injuriesÏand€damages€sustained€by€Mr.€Downing€and€Mrs.€Downingððs€loss€of€consortium€as€a€result€of€aÏvehicular€accident€at€the€intersection€of€Lamar€and€Winchester€in€Memphis.€€The€automobile€drivenÍby€Mr.€Downing€collided€with€a€police€car€driven€by€Officer€Lezley€Johnson€of€the€MemphisÏPolice€Department.ÌÌà àMr.€Downing€was€proceeding€west€on€Winchester€and€turning€left€to€go€south€onÏLamar.€€Officer€Johnson€was€traveling€east€on€Winchester.€€It€was€Downingððs€contention€that€heÏturned€left€on€a€green€arrow€and€Officer€Johnsonððs€contention€that€she€entered€the€intersection€on€aÏyellow€light€when€the€collision€occurred.ÌÌà àFollowing€a€bench€trial,€the€trial€judge€found€in€favor€of€the€plaintiffs€and€awardedÏa€judgment€which€was€reduced€by€10%€which€the€court€found€Mr.€Downing€to€have€contributed€toÏthe€accident.€€The€City€appeals€and€presents€the€following€issues:ÌÌÓÓà8 àà à1.€€Whether€the€trial€court€erred€in€finding€the€Defendant,ÏCity€of€Memphis,€liable€in€this€case€against€the€weight,€andÏpreponderance€of€the€evidence.ÌÌà8 àà à2.€€Whether€the€trial€court€erred€in€its€finding€that€PlaintiffÏKenneth€Downingððs€negligence€only€amounted€to€ten€percent€(10%)Ïof€the€total€negligence€in€this€cause.ÌÌÌÌÓÓà àThe€trial€court€made€the€following€findings:ÌÌÓÓà8 àThere€is€a€direct€dispute€as€to€the€cause€of€the€accident€and€the€colorÏof€the€traffic€signal€at€the€intersection€where€the€collision€took€place.€ÏIt€is€undisputed€that€the€plaintiff€was€making€a€left€turn€and€hisÏvehicle€was€struck€on€the€front€passenger€door€by€the€front€of€theÏpolice€[car]€driven€by€the€police€officer,€Lezley€Johnson,€who€wasÏfollowing€a€traffic€violator€through€the€intersection€at€about€45€milesÏper€hour.€€The€police€car€was€not€displaying€blue€lights€or€soundingÏits€siren.€€The€plaintiff€and€defendant€vehicles€were€proceeding€inÏopposite€directions€as€they€entered€the€intersection€and€plaintiffÏbegan€a€left€turn.ÌÌà8 àà àThe€preponderance€of€the€evidence€is€that€the€plaintiff€wasÏmaking€his€turn€with€the€green€left€turn€ð ðarrowðð€in€his€favor,€and€theÍred€light€displayed€toward€the€defendantððs€driver.€€Although€bothÏsides€produced€independent€witnesses€in€their€respective€favors,€theÏwitness€for€the€defendant€was€confused€in€his€testimony,€while€theÏwitnesses€of€the€plaintiff€were€credible.€€The€court€finds,€however,Ïthat€the€plaintiff€was,€to€some€extent,€negligent,€in€failing€to€keep€aÏmore€€careful€lookout€for€vehicles€like€the€defendantððs,€which€mightÏbe€traversing€the€intersection€despite€the€light.€€The€car€which€theÏpolice€car€was€following€passed€through€the€intersection€toÏplaintiffððs€left.€€The€fact€that€a€motorist€has€the€right€of€way€at€anÏintersection€does€not€relieve€him€of€the€duty€to€use€reasonable€care€toÏavoid€an€accident.€€òòò òNash€v.€Greeróóó ó,€57€Tenn.€App.€191,€417ÏS.W.2d€562.€€The€court€finds€this€negligence€to€amount€to€tenÏpercent€(10%)€of€the€total€negligence,€and,€therefore,€not€a€bar€toÏplaintiffððs€recovery.ÌÌÌÌÓÓà àThe€record€reveals€the€following€testimony:à à€Erma€Jean€Patterson€was€travelingÏnorth€on€Lamar€in€the€curb€lane.€€The€traffic€light€for€north€bound€traffic€on€Lamar€turned€yellowÏas€she€approached€it€and€she€stopped€as€the€light€turned€red.€€She€was€the€first€car€at€theÏintersection€in€her€lane.€€She€saw€a€red€car€come€into€the€middle€of€the€intersection€making€a€leftÏturn€from€Winchester€on€to€Lamar€and€at€that€time€her€light€was€still€red.€€The€red€car,€driven€byÏMr.€Downing,€was€west€bound€on€Winchester€before€attempting€to€turn€left€onto€Lamar.€€SheÏestimates€she€had€been€at€the€red€light€about€5€seconds€when€the€collision€occurred.€€When€she€firstÏsaw€the€police€vehicle€it€had€already€entered€the€intersection.€€Her€windows€were€down€and€sheÏobserved€no€blue€lights,€siren€or€horn€from€the€police€vehicle€prior€to€their€collision.ÌÌà àChanya€Wallace,€Ms.€Pattersonððs€daughter,€was€seated€in€the€back€seat€passengerÏside€of€the€Patterson€vehicle.€€She€observed€the€red€vehicle€preparing€to€make€a€left€turn€and€theÏpolice€car€approaching€the€intersection€from€her€left.€€As€they€approached€the€intersection,€the€lightÏwas€yellow€and€her€mother€stopped€as€it€turned€red.€€She€also€observed€that€the€south€bound€trafficÏon€Lamar€was€stopped.€€The€police€car€and€red€car€collided€and€the€red€car€hit€the€PattersonÏvehicle.€€The€blue€lights€and€siren€of€the€police€car€were€not€engaged.ÌÌà àCheryl€Holt€was€driving€north€on€Lamar.€€She€did€not€see€the€police€vehicle€untilÏafter€impact€but€did€not€see€a€blue€light€nor€hear€a€siren.€€She€was€in€the€left€lane€beside€theÏPatterson€vehicle.€€Her€vehicle€was€the€lead€vehicle€in€her€lane.€€When€she€first€observed€her€trafficÏsignal€it€was€green.€€She€observed€it€change€to€yellow€and€then€red€as€she€stopped.€€The€light€wasÏred€for€north€bound€traffic€on€Lamar€when€Mr.€Downing€began€his€left€turn.€€There€is€also€a€leftÏturn€lane€for€north€bound€traffic€on€Lamar€to€turn€west€onto€Winchester.€€The€Patterson€vehicleÏwas€a€little€bit€in€front€of€hers€and€she€testified€that€she€doesnððt€believe€she€had€actually€come€to€aÏcomplete€stop€when€the€accident€occurred.€€South€bound€traffic€on€Lamar€was€also€stopped.ÌÌà àDennis€Ballard€was€a€passenger€in€his€car€which€was€being€driven€by€Ms.€Holt.€ÏMs.€Holt€brought€the€vehicle€to€a€stop€as€the€light€changed€from€yellow€to€red.€€He€observed€noÏblue€lights,€headlights€or€siren€engaged€on€the€police€vehicle.ÌÌà àManoocheher€Tanhaee€is€a€traffic€design€engineer€with€the€City€of€Memphis.€€HeÏdescribed€the€Lamar€and€Winchester€intersection€as€an€8„face€signal.€€He€testified€that€whenÏvehicles€traveling€north€on€Lamar€come€to€a€stop€at€the€red€light,€the€next€sequence€in€the€trafficÏsignals€would€then€be€left€turn€arrows€for€east€bound/west€bound€traffic€on€Winchester.ÌÌà àKenneth€R.€Downing€testified€that€he€had€the€green€turn€arrow€when€he€began€hisÏturn€and€at€the€time€that€he€was€struck€by€the€other€vehicle.€€The€north€bound€and€south€boundÏtraffic€was€completely€stopped.€€He€did€not€hear€a€siren,€horn€or€skid€marks€nor€did€he€observe€aÏblue€flashing€light€on€the€vehicle€that€collided€with€his.€€The€vehicle€struck€his€vehicle€at€the€rightÏdoor.ÌÌà àLezley€Angela€Johnson€Currie,€an€officer€with€the€Memphis€Police€Department,Ïobserved€a€Cadillac€run€a€red€light€at€the€intersection€of€Getwell€and€Winchester.€€She€pursued€itÍeast€bound€on€Winchester.€€The€pursued€vehicle€went€through€the€intersection€of€Winchester€andÏLamar€on€a€green€light.€€She€testified€that€as€she€approached€that€intersection€the€light€for€herÏturned€yellow.€She€observed€a€red€vehicle€making€a€left€turn€in€front€of€her€at€which€time€she€blewÏher€horn.€€At€that€time€she€testified€that€she€observed€that€her€light€had€not€yet€turned€red.€€It€is€herÏtestimony€that€she€entered€the€intersection€on€a€yellow€light.€€She€had€not€gotten€close€enough€toÏthe€Cadillac€to€run€its€tags€and€had€not€engaged€her€emergency€equipment.€€She€estimated€herÏspeed€at€45€m.p.h.ÌÌà àMichael€Anthony€Dennis€testified€that€he€was€traveling€east€bound€on€WinchesterÏapproaching€a€traffic€signal€at€Lamar.€€He€later€testified€he€wasnððt€sure€whether€he€was€going€eastÏor€west€but€the€police€vehicle€was€going€the€opposite€direction€from€him€on€Winchester.€€He€wasÏnot€sure€which€lane€he€was€in.€€His€light€turned€yellow€and€when€he€saw€the€police€car€he€stopped.€ÏHad€he€not€seen€the€police€car,€he€believes€he€could€have€cleared€the€intersection€while€the€lightÏwas€still€yellow.€€By€the€time€the€light€turned€red,€the€accident€had€already€taken€place.ÌÌà àOur€review€of€this€matter€is€òòò òde€novoóóó ó€upon€the€record€with€a€presumption€that€theÏtrial€courtððs€findings€of€fact€are€correct€unless€the€evidence€preponderates€to€the€contrary.€€RuleÏ13(d)€T.R.A.P.€€Where€issues€of€credibility€and€weight€of€oral€testimony€are€involved,€the€trialÏcourt€is€the€best€judge€of€the€credibility€of€witnesses€and€its€findings€of€credibility€are€entitled€toÏgreat€weight.€€This€is€true€because€the€trial€court€alone€has€the€opportunity€to€observe€theÏappearance€and€demeanor€of€the€witnesses.€€òòò òTenn„Tex€Properties€v.€Brownell„Electroóóó ó,€778ÏS.W.2d€423€(Tenn.€1989).ÌÌà àUpon€reviewing€this€record,€we€do€not€find€the€evidence€to€preponderate€against€theÏtrial€courtððs€findings.€€The€judgment€of€the€trial€court€is€affirmed€and€the€costs€of€this€cause€areÏtaxed€to€the€appellant€for€which€execution€may€issue€if€necessary.ÌÌÓÓÓ` Ü` È“XÓà à___________________________________Ìà àFARMER,€J.ÌÌÌÌ______________________________ÌCRAWFORD,€P.J.,€W.S.€(Concurs)ÌÌÌÌ______________________________ÌHIGHERS,€J.€(Concurs)à àà à