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`€€LßÌÌ€€€€€€€€€€€€€IN€THE€COURT€OF€APPEALS€OFÏTENNESSEE€ÌÌÌÌÌÌÌTERRY€JARNIGAN€and€wife,€€€€€€:€€€€COCKE€CIRCUIT€ÌKATHY€JARNIGAN€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€:€€€€03A01„9605„CV„00163Ì€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€:Ì€€€€€Plaintiffs„Appellants€€€€:Ì€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€:Ìvs.€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€:Ì€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€:ÌCITY€OF€NEWPORT€UTILITIES€€€€€:ÌBOARD€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€:Ì€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€:Ì€€€€€Defendant„Appellee€€€€€€€:ÌÌÌand€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€WILLIAM€R.€HOLT,€JR.Ì€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€JUDGEÌÌARLIE€STUART€and€wife,€€€€€€€€:ÌSHERRY€STUART€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€:Ì€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€:Ì€€€€€Plaintiffs„Appellants€€€€:Ì€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€:Ìvs.€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€:Ì€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€:ÌCITY€OF€NEWPORT€UTILITIES€€€€€:€€ÌBOARD€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€:Ì€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€:Ì€€€€€Defendant„Appellee€€€€€€€:€€€€€AFFIRMED€AND€REMANDEDÌÌÌÌÌÌÌSHANNON€D.€FAULKNER,€III,€WITH€GILBERT€AND€FAULKNER,€OF€KNOXVILLE,ÏTENNESSEE€FOR€APPELLANTSÌÌJAMES€C.€McSWEEN,€JR.,€OF€NEWPORT,€TENNESSEE,€FOR€APPELLEEÌÌÌÌÌÌÌ€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€O€P€I€N€I€O€NÌÌÌ€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€Sanders,€Sp.J.ÌÌÌÓÓà àà àThese€two€personal€injury€cases€grew€out€of€the€sameÏaccident,€filed€by€the€same€attorney€at€the€same€time,€against€theÏsame€Defendant.€€No€order€of€consolidation€is€in€the€record€before€Ö€$ÖusÏbut€they€were€tried€together€and€are€before€us€on€a€joint€record€andÏwill€be€treated€as€having€been€consolidated€both€at€trial€and€on€thisÏappeal.ÌÌà àà àThe€Plaintiffs„Appellants,€Terry€Jarnigan€and€wife,€KathyÏJarnigan,€and€Arlie€Stuart€and€wife,€Sherry€Stuart,€filed€suitsÏagainst€Defendant„Appellee€City€of€Newport€Utilities€Board.€€In€theirÏcomplaints,€they€alleged€that€on€April€22,€1993,€the€Defendant€wasÏperforming€sewer€line€construction€work€on€Main€Street€in€the€City€ofÏNewport€and€on€the€same€date€at€approximately€11:30€p.m.,€PlaintiffÏTerry€Jarnigan€was€operating€his€vehicle€in€an€easterly€direction€onÏMain€Street€when€it€struck€a€manhole€cover€which€had€been€removedÏfrom€its€proper€location€by€Defendant.€€They€alleged€the€manholeÏcover€had€been€left€in€the€roadway,€or€adjacent€to€the€roadway,€byÏDefendant€in€a€negligent€manner,€without€precautions€being€taken€toÏsee€it€would€not€become€a€hazard€to€traffic€on€Main€Street.€€As€aÏproximate€result€of€Defendant's€negligence,€Plaintiff's€vehicleÍstruck€the€manhole€cover,€causing€the€vehicle€to€leave€the€roadwayÏand€strike€an€embankment€adjacent€to€the€roadway,€resulting€inÏpersonal€injuries€and€property€damage€to€Plaintiff€Terry€Jarnigan€andÏpersonal€injuries€to€Plaintiff€Arlie€Stuart€who€was€riding€in€theÏautomobile€as€a€guest€passenger.ÌÌà àà àPlaintiffs€Terry€Jarnigan€and€Arlie€Stuart€each€asked€forÏ$75,000€for€their€personal€injuries€and€Kathy€Jarnigan€and€SherryÏStuart€each€asked€for€$10,000€for€loss€of€consortium.ÌÌà àà àThe€complaints€of€Jarnigans€and€the€Stuarts,€as€pertinent,Ïcontained€the€same€allegations€as€to€acts€of€negligence€of€theÏUtility€Board€and€resulting€injuries,€except€Arlie€Stewart€alleged€heÏwas€riding€as€a€guest€passenger€with€Terry€Jarnigan.€€Each€of€theÏJarnigans€and€Stuarts€sought€the€same€damages.ÌÌà àà àThe€Utilities€Board,€for€answer,€admitted€it€was€a€branchÏof€the€city€government€of€Newport€and€that€the€claims€of€PlaintiffsÏwere€governed€by€the€Tennessee€Governmental€Torts€Liability€Act,€TCAÏðð€29„20„201,€et€seq.€€It€denied€all€acts€of€negligence€alleged€by€theÏPlaintiffs.€€It€said€the€accident€and€resulting€injuries€were€due€toÏthe€negligence€of€Terry€Jarnigan.€€As€an€affirmative€defense,€itÏaverred€Plaintiffs'€complaints€were€tort€actions€against€aÏgovernmental€entity€and€the€complaints€failed€to€state€the€torts€wereÍcommitted€by€a€governmental€employee€within€the€scope€of€hisÏemployment€and€failed€to€state€a€claim€upon€which€relief€could€beÏgranted.ÌÌà àà àUpon€the€trial€of€the€case,€neither€of€the€Plaintiffs€knewÏwhat€caused€their€automobile€to€leave€the€paved€portion€of€the€streetÏon€which€they€were€traveling€and€crash€into€a€railroad€retainingÏwall,€resulting€in€their€injuries.ÌÌà àà àThe€proof€showed€the€City€of€Newport€was€in€the€process€ofÏpaving€Main€Street€on€the€day€of€the€accident.€€Also,€the€UtilityÏBoard€was€putting€new€manhole€covers€on€the€sewer€line€manholes€toÏraise€the€manhole€covers€to€the€level€of€the€new€pavement.€€In€doingÏso,€the€employees€of€the€Utility€Board€would€remove€the€old€manholeÏcovers€and€place€them€next€to€the€railroad€retaining€wall€which€ranÏparallel€with€Main€Street€and€across€a€drainage€ditch€about€threeÏfeet€from€Main€Street,€the€street€on€which€the€Plaintiffs'€car€wasÏtraveling€at€the€time€of€the€accident.ÌÌà àà àAfter€the€accident,€the€right€front€wheel€of€the€car€inÏwhich€the€Plaintiffs€were€riding€came€to€rest€either€on€or€adjacentÏto€one€of€the€old€manhole€covers.€€Upon€seeing€the€proximity€of€theÏmanhole€cover€to€the€front€wheel€of€his€car,€Plaintiff€Terry€JarniganÏconcluded€he€struck€the€manhole€cover€on€the€street€and€that€was€theÍcause€of€his€accident.€€Mr.€Jarnigan's€testimony,€as€pertinent€to€theÏaccident,€was€as€follows:Ì"Q.à àà àAs€you€were€going€west€on€Main€Street,€how€fast€were€youÏgoing,€do€you€recall?€Ì"A.à àà àTwenty,€maybe€twenty„five,€somewhere€around€that€area.€Ì"Q.à àà àDid€you€have€your€headlights€on?€Ì"A.à àà àYes,€sir.€Ì"Qà à€€.à àà àDid€your€headlights€work?Ì"A.à àà àYes,€sir.Ì"Q.à àà àAs€far€as€the€lighting€conditions€where€this€accidentÏhappened,€were€there€street€lights€right€there?Ì"A.à àà àThere€is€a€street€light....I€mean,€there€was€a€light€thereÏbut€it's€not€where€the€wreck€happened,€it's€back€a€little€bit€furtherÏtowards€some€kind€of€a€garage€now€that€they€use.€Ì"à à€Q.à àà àà àNow...how€was€the€pavement€there€at€the€time?€Ì"A.à àà àThe€pavement€was€rough.€€I€mean,€there€wasn't€no€holes€inÏit....You€can€drive€on€it,€it's€no€problem,€it's€a€little€shaky,€butÏI€mean€there's€no€big€humps€or€holes€in€it.€Ì"Q.à àà àWere€you€having€any€problem€staying€on€the€road€orÏanything?Ì"A.à àà àNo.€Ì"Q.à àà àHad€you€traveled€this€roadway€few€or€many€times?€Ì"A.à àà àMany€times.€Ì"Q.à àà àOkay.€€As€you€were€going€down€through€there€were€youÏkeeping€a€lookout€ahead€of€you€for€anything€that€might€be€on€theÏroadway?€Ì"A.à àà àWell,€I€was€looking,€keeping€my€eyes€ahead€of€me....Ì€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€*€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€*€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€*Ì"Q.à àà àAs€you€were€going€down€through€there€did€you€see€anythingÏin€the€roadway?€Ì"A.à àà àNo,€sir.€Ì"Q.à àà àCan€you€tell€the€Court€exactly€what€happened?€Ì"A.à àà àYeah.€€Well,€we€were€really€talking€and€driving....I€didn'tÏsee€anything€in€the€road.€€Really,€the€only€thing€I€remember€was€myÏcar€getting€loose€from€me€and€hitting€the€railroad€track.€Ì"Q.à àà àHow€would€you€describe€the€force€of€hitting€that€railroadÏtrack?€Ì"A.à àà àVery€hard.€Ì"Q.à àà àWhat€did€it€do€to€you€in€the€car?€Ì"A.à àà àWell,€it€totaled€the€car.Ì€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€*€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€*€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€*€Ì"Q.à àà àWas€there€anything€about€the€pavement€that€caused€you€to€goÏoff€to€the€side€of€the€road?€Ì"A.à àà àNo,€sir.€Ì"Q.à àà àThe€pavement€had€nothing€to€do€with€it?€Ì"A.à àà àNo,€sir.€Ì"Q.à àà àNow€this€retaining€wall€that's€along€the€railroad€tracks,Ïthere's€some€distance€between€the€retaining€wall€and€the€edge€of€theÏroadway,€is€that€correct?€Ì"A.à àà àYes,€sir.€Ì"Q.à àà àA€few€feet?€Ì"A.à àà àYeah,€a€couple€of€feet€anyway.€Ì"Q.à àà àDoes€that€area€slope€down€toward€the€roadway€or€it€is€levelÏwith€it?€Ì"A.à àà àThere€is€a€ditch,€sort€of€a€trench€that€runs€down€throughÏthere,€not€real€deep.€€It's€level€and€then€sinks€off€and€then€goes€upÏagainst€the€bottom€of€the€railroad.Ì€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€*€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€*€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€*€Ì"Q.à àà àNow,€after€[the€officer]€left€did€you€look€around€the€car?Ì"A.à àà àYeah,€I€went€around€the€car,€because€I€really€didn't€knowÏat€the€time,€you€know,€what€had€happened.€€I€thought€an€A€frame€mightÏhave€jerked€me€out€of€the€road.€€So,€I€went€around€with€OfficerÏShults,€I€didn't€have€a€light,€he€had€a€flashlight,€when€we€wentÏaround€my€front€tire€was€setting€in€between€big€old€forks€of€thisÏmanhole€and€I€said,€'There,€it€wasn't€the€A€frame,€it€was€the€manholeÏcover.'€And€the€picture€shows€where€it€scooted€the€manhole€cover€fromÏthe€pavement€plumb€out€into€the€ditch.€€There's€marks€on€the€roadÏthat€shows€where€the€manhole€cover€and€the€tire€scooted€over€into€theÏditch."ÌÌà àà àThe€Plaintiffs€called€Officer€Lynn€Shults,€a€patrolman€forÏthe€City€of€Newport,€as€a€witness.€€Officer€Shults€testified€he€wasÏon€duty€at€the€time€the€accident€occurred€and€came€upon€the€scene€ofÏthe€accident€shortly€after€it€occurred.€€He€testified€the€right€frontÏportion€of€Plaintiff's€car€was€up€against€the€railroad€retainingÏwall.€€He€testified:€€"There€was€a€manhole€cover€to€the€right€frontÏwheel€of€Mr.€Jarnigan's€vehicle.€€I€don't€recollect€if€it€was€up€onÏit,€I€know€it€was€against€it€because€we€worked€his€vehicle€backÏaway."€€Officer€Shults's€testimony€was€in€contradiction€to€theÏtestimony€of€Mr.€Jarnigan€concerning€skid€marks€from€the€pavement€toÏthe€point€where€the€car€came€to€rest.€€His€testimony€on€cross„examination€was€as€follows:Ì"Q.à àà àMr.€Shults€did€you€see€any€marks€on€the€pavement€whichÏwould€indicate€that€a€manhole€cover€had€been€pushed,€pressed,€slidÏacross€the€pavement€toward€where€you€found€it€at€rest€against€theÏrailroad€track?€Ì"A.à àà àNo€sir,€not€at€the€time€that€I€was€investigating€thisÏaccident,€no.€Ì"Q.à àà àAnd€did€you€find€any€marks€in€the€loose,€in€the€soil,€inÏthe€grassy€area€that€would€have€indicated€that€a€manhole€cover€hadÏbeen€pushed€along€by€an€automobile€up€to€the€point€where€you€found€itÏat€rest€against€the€railroad?€Ì"A.à àà àNo,€sir.€Ì"Q.à àà àBut€you€did€find€tire€tracks€in€that€soft€area,€in€theÏgrassy€area,€that€led€up€to€the€manhole€cover?€Ì"A.à àà àTo€the€point€where€the€front€tire€was€up€against€or€on€theÏmanhole€cover.€Ì"Q.à àà àAll€right.€€The€manhole€cover€that€was€in€place€in€theÏstreet.€Ì"A.à àà àYes,€sir."ÌÌà àà àMr.€Doyle€Lynn€Barnes,€who€was€foreman€of€the€Utility€BoardÏwork€crew€who€were€removing€the€old€manhole€covers€and€replacing€themÏwith€new€ones€on€the€day€the€accident€occurred,€was€called€as€aÏwitness.€€He€testified€that€when€an€old€manhole€cover€was€removed,€itÏwas€placed€adjacent€to€the€railroad€retaining€wall€and€directlyÏopposite€the€manhole€from€which€it€had€been€removed.€€The€purpose€ofÏlocating€the€old€manhole€covers€in€this€exact€position€was€to€make€itÏeasy€to€find€them€when€they€were€to€be€removed€from€the€premises.€€HeÏwas€shown€a€picture€of€the€manhole€cover€here€at€issue€and€itsÏlocation€in€relation€to€the€manhole€from€which€it€had€been€removed.€ÏHe€testified€that€in€his€opinion€the€manhole€cover€was€in€the€sameÏlocation€where€it€had€been€placed€when€removed€from€the€manhole.ÌÌà àà àThe€testimony€of€Plaintiff€Stuart€was€to€the€effect€that€heÏhad€no€idea€as€to€how€or€why€the€accident€at€issue€occurred.€€HisÏtestimony€relating€to€the€accident,€as€pertinent,€was€as€follows:Ì"Q.à àà àAs€you€were€driving€or€riding€with€him€down€Main€StreetÏthat€night€was€anything€about€his€driving€that€was€out€of€theÏordinary?€Ì"A.à àà àNo,€sir.€Ì"Q.à àà àWas€he€speeding?€Ì"A.à àà àNo,€sir.€Ì"Q.à àà àWas€he€driving€recklessly€at€all?Ì"A.à àà àNo,€sir.€Ì"Q.à àà àDo€you€remember€exactly€what€happened€there€at€the€accidentÏscene€or€what€you€remember€and€if€you€can€just€tell€the€Court?€Ì"A.à àà àJust€like€he€said,€a€big€jerk€and€hit,€you€know,€and€thatÏwas€it,€it€was€that€fast."ÌÌà àà àThe€trial€court,€in€his€determination€of€the€case,€asÏpertinent,€said:€€"Well,€the€plaintiffs...they€say€they€don't€knowÏwhat€happened.€€The€burden€of€proof€is€on€the€plaintiffs€to€proveÏthat€this€company€[sic]€was€negligent,€careless,€did€something€anÏordinary€cautious€person€wouldn't€do€under€the€circumstances€and€thatÏthat€was€the€cause€of€this€accident.€€Now€something€happened,€I€don'tÏknow€what€happened.Ì€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€*€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€*€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€*Ìà àà à"There's€too€much€speculation€for€me€to€say€that€thisÏcompany€[sic]€was€negligent€and€I€hesitate€to€dismiss€lawsuits€butÏit's€guesswork,€it's€speculation,€nobody€is€sure€what€happened.€€TheÍburden€of€proof€is€on€the€plaintiff€to€prove€by€a€preponderance€ofÏthe€evidence€and€I€don't€think€there's€anything€in€the€record€to€showÏthat."ÌÌà àà àWe€concur€with€the€trial€court€and€affirm.€€The€cost€ofÏthis€appeal€is€taxed€to€the€Appellants€and€the€case€is€remanded€toÏthe€trial€court€for€any€further,€necessary€proceedings.ÌÓÓÌÌÌÌÌ€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€__________________________Ì€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€Clifford€E.€Sanders,€Sp.J.ÌÌÌÌÌÌCONCUR:€ÌÌÌ__________________________ÌHerschel€P.€Franks,€J.€ÌÌÌ__________________________ÌCharles€D.€Susano,€Jr.,€J.ÌÌÌÌÌà àà àÌÌÌÌÌÌÌÌÌÌ