ÿWPCE …# VUNa %¯ 0(µbÝw@å4% 9 H 0JP 0Tš 0^î 0hL 0r´ 0|& 0†¢ 0( 1u¸ 0d- U>‘ B)Ï DCø AM;U*ˆ ²v~¿ B=vÓZ D3- 0@` AO Æï 0Dµ D/ù B(˜HP LaserJet 4SiHPPCL5MS,ü,,,,,ü0nLhÎ(ÖÃ9 Z ‹6Times New Roman RegularX($¡¡- ù- ¾@¿@À@Á@DÂ@EÃ@DÄ@UÅ@UÆ@UÇ@Ó€¥Hœ$3|xÐ@2 ÿÿ0Indent1Ô2ÔÔ3  Ô2" ÿÿ0Indent2à0 àÔ2ÔÔ3  Ô2, ÿÿ0Indent3à0 àà0 àÔ2ÔÔ3  Ô26 ÿÿ0Indent4à0 àà0 àà0 àÔ2ÔÔ3  Ô2@ ÿÿ0Indent5à0 àà0 àà0 àà0 àÔ2ÔÔ3  Ô2J ÿÿ0Indent6à0 àà0 àà0 àà0 àà0 àÔ2ÔÔ3  Ô2T ÿÿ0Indent7à0 àà0 àà0 àà0 àà0 àà0 àÔ2ÔÔ3  Ô2^ ÿÿ0Indent8à0 àà0 àà0 àà0 àà0 àà0 àà0 àÔ2ÔÔ3  Ô ÿÿ?AGMSYaioIndent0I.A.1.a.(1)(a)i)a)P ÿÿ8Mac DefaultMac DefaultÓ ` °šXÓ< Œ 9p`(&Times New Roman% Line 7 d7Border 1dd€- Cþÿ << Gÿÿ< Œ 9p`(Arial Ý ƒ!ÝÑ  ÑÑ#€d#ÑÔ€ÔÝ  ÝÔ€"ÔÔ€"ÔÓ  Óò òÔ YYY ÔFILEDÔ€"XÔÌÌJuly€31,€1998ÌÌCecil€W.€CrowsonÌAppellate€Court€ClerkÔ  Ôó óPtPtHHÚ(ÿáÿâùFG(üHHÚ(d'h dStyl{WP}01•ÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃà Ãà Ãà Ãà Ãà ÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÐ ÐÐHHÐÐ  ÐÐ2ÐÐÿÿ¸æ$ÿÐÐHHÐÐÐÐÐÐÐÐ  ÐÐ ÐÐ ÐÑÑÑGenevaÑÑ ÑÑ € ÑÑ<Px–ÈÑÒÒÒ443!#4ÒÒ$ *$ÒÒ$*$ÒÒ ÿKK ÒÒ  Geneva ÒÒ  Geneva ÒÓ.,ÓÓÓÓ6ÓÓ ÓßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßÑGenevaÑÑ ÑÒ  h HD: Geneva ÒÒ  h HD: Geneva Ò%%%%'ÿÿdxd("ÿÿ$££Ò  ÒÒ  Ò€-‚ƒCþÿ<< CÿÿƒLevel 1Level 2Level 3Level 4Level 5($$””ò òÚ  Ú1Ú  Úó ó„„'÷ÿ dxdüÿP PdÝ ƒ!ÝÔ . ÔÔ€ÔÝ  ÝÒ  ÒÒ „ ÒÑ  ÑÑ\R AØ'\ћрÑÑ7€XXdìdÈ7ÑÑ  ÑÑ  Ñœò òÙ€€ÙßR€!# A1-j|` ç `€€@ÿRßÞ ÞÌÌÌÌÌEDWARD›€TRAUGHBER,€a€minor,à à)Ìindividually,€and€by€next€friends€andà à)Ìparents,€EDWARD€WEAVER€and€à à)ÌJUANITA€TRAUGHBER,€and€EDWARD)ÌWEAVER€and€JUANITA€TRAUGHBER,)Ìindividually,à àà àà àà àà à)Ìà àà àà àà àà àà à)à àMontgomery€CircuitÌà àPlaintiffs/Appellants,à àà à)à àNo.€€€C„9„217Ìà àà àà àà àà àà à)à àÌVS.à àà àà àà àà àà à)Ìà àà àà àà àà àà à)à àÌKELLY€A.€KRESS,€JAMES€LEONà à)à àAppeal€No.ÌMILLER,€SR.,€CLARKSVILLEà àà à)à à01A01„9709„CV„00525ÌMONTGOMERY€COUNTY€SCHOOL€à à)ÌBOARD€and€CLARKSVILLEà àà à)ÌMONTGOMERY€COUNTY€SCHOOLà à)ÌSYSTEM,à àà àà àà àà à)Ìà àà àà àà àà àà à)Ìà àDefendants/Appellees.à àà à)ÌÌÌà@ àIN€THE€COURT€OF€APPEALS€OF€TENNESSEEÌà@ àAT€NASHVILLEÌÌà@ àAPPEAL€FROM€THE€CIRCUIT€COURT€OF€MONTGOMERY€COUNTYÌà@ àAT€CLARKSVILLE,€TENNESSEEÌà0 àÌÓ  ÓHONORABLE€JAMES€E.€WALTON,€CHANCELLORÌÓ  Óó óÌÌÌRoland€Robert€LenardÌ321€Franklin€StreetÌClarksville,€Tennessee€37040ÌATTORNEY€FOR€PLAINTIFFS/APPELLANTSÌÌÌSteven€C.€GirskyÌ121€South€Third€StreetÌClarksville,€Tennessee€37040ÌATTORNEY€FOR€DEFENDANTS/APPELLEESÌÌÌÓ  Óò òAFFIRMED€AND€REMANDED.ó óÌÌÌÓ  ÓÌà àà àà àà àà àà àHENRY€F.€TODDÌà àà àà àà àà àà àPRESIDING€JUDGE,€MIDDLE€SECTIONÌÌÌÌÌÌÌCONCUR:ÌBEN€H.€CANTRELL,€JUDGEÌWILLIAM€B.€CAIN,€JUDGEÌÌò òEDWARD€TRAUGHBER,€a€minor,à à)Ìindividually,€and€by€next€friends€andà à)Ìparents,€EDWARD€WEAVER€and€à à)ÌJUANITA€TRAUGHBER,€and€EDWARD)ÌWEAVER€and€JUANITA€TRAUGHBER,)Ìindividually,à àà àà àà àà à)Ìà àà àà àà àà àà à)à àMontgomery€CircuitÌà àPlaintiffs/Appellants,à àà à)à àNo.€€€C9„217Ìà àà àà àà àà àà à)à àÌVS.à àà àà àà àà àà à)Ìà àà àà àà àà àà à)à àÌKELLY€A.€KRESS,€JAMES€LEONà à)à àAppeal€No.ÌMILLER,€SR.,€CLARKSVILLEà àà à)à à01A01„9709„CV„00525ÌMONTGOMERY€COUNTY€SCHOOL€à à)ÌBOARD€and€CLARKSVILLEà àà à)ÌMONTGOMERY€COUNTY€SCHOOLà à)ÌSYSTEM,à àà àà àà àà à)Ìà àà àà àà àà àà à)Ìà àDefendants/Appellees.à àà à)ÌÌó óÌà@ àòòò òÔ€„ÔO€P€I€N€I€O€NÔ€XÔó óóóÌÓ  ÓÓÓÌà àThe€plaintiff,€Edward€Traughber€was€seriously€injured€prior€to€boarding€a€school€busÏwhich€was€stopped€with€red€warning€lights€flashing€and€a€stop€sign€extended€from€the€side€ofÏthe€bus.€€ÌÌà àSome€of€the€background€of€the€injury€is€undisputed.€€Edward€is€the€youngest€of€severalÏchildren€of€Mr.€and€Mrs.€Traughber€whose€home€is€on€the€north€side€of€E€Street.€€The€regularÏbus€driver€was€accustomed€to€proceed€eastward€on€E€Street€and€to€stop€for€the€TraughberÏchildren€in€the€street€in€front€of€the€Traughber€home.€€Mrs.€Traughber€was€accustomed€toÏwatching€for€the€arrival€of€the€bus€and€to€notify€her€children€that€it€was€waiting.€€On€theÏmorning€of€the€injury,€the€school€bus€was€operated€by€a€substitute€driver€who€had€driven€theÏroute€before€but€was€using€a€map€showing€the€location€of€stops€for€children.€€The€front€of€theÏbus€moved€a€short€distance€past€the€customary€stop€and€stopped€ð ðin€the€middle€of€the€streetðð€toÏawait€the€children.€€Edward€was€the€first€child€to€leave€the€house.€€The€bus€driver€looked€outÏthe€front€of€the€bus€and€saw€an€automobile€approaching€at€a€rapid€speed€with€no€apparentÏintention€of€stopping€as€required€by€law€when€a€school€bus€is€stopped€with€flashing€lights€andÏstop€sign€displayed.€€The€driver€attempted€to€induce€the€approaching€auto€to€stop€by€waving€hisÏarm€out€his€window.€€The€driver€made€no€attempt€to€stop€except€to€ð ðtake€my€foot€off€the€gas.ðð€ÏAs€the€auto€passed€the€bus,€Edward€was€injured.€€After€the€injury€of€Edward,€the€passing€carÏmade€58€feet€of€skid€marks€before€stopping.ÌÌà àThe€precise€immediate€circumstances€of€the€injury€of€Edward€are€unclear.€€It€isÏreasonably€clear€that€the€passing€auto€was€in€the€street€at€the€time€of€the€injury.€€It€is€concededÏthat€the€cause€of€Edwardððs€injury€was€contact€between€the€right€side€of€the€passing€vehicle€andÏEdwardððs€body.ÌÌà àThe€testimony€of€the€witnesses€is€conflicting€as€to€where€Edward€was€when€he€wasÏinjured€and€whether€he€was€standing€still€or€moving€toward€the€bus,€i.e.,€into€the€street.€€TheÏevidence€is€also€conflicting€as€to€the€precise€location€of€the€Kress€vehicle€when€Edward€wasÍinjured.€€The€evidence€also€varies€as€to€whether€the€bus€driver€signaled€the€children€that€it€wasÏsafe€to€enter€the€street€before€Edward€was€injured.€€There€is€testimony€of€witnesses€that€theyÏdid€not€see€yellow€or€red€lights€flashing€or€an€extended€stop€sign,€but€no€witness€testifiedÏpositively€that€these€warnings€were€not€displayed€and€some€witnesses€testified€that€theyÏactually€saw€the€warnings€displayed.€ÌÌà àThe€plaintiffs€sued€Ms.€Kress,€the€driver€of€the€automobile,€the€driver€of€the€schoolÏbus,€and€the€school€board€and€system€which€employed€the€bus€driver.€€It€was€stipulated€thatÏthe€school€board€and€system€were€parts€of€a€governmental€entity€subject€to€the€uniformÏGovernmental€Tort€Liability€Act,€T.C.A.€ðððð€29„20„101€et€seq.€€The€bus€driver€was€dismissedÏfrom€the€case€because€of€the€immunity€granted€by€ðð€29„20„310(b).€€A€settlement€of€the€liabilityÏof€Ms.€Kress€was€approved€by€the€Trial€Court,€and€she€was€dismissed.€€The€only€issue€left€forÏresolution€by€the€Trial€Court€was€the€liability€of€the€Board€and€System€for€negligence€of€theirÏemployee,€the€bus€driver.ÌÌà àAt€the€conclusion€of€the€evidence,€the€Trial€Judge€delivered€an€oral€opinion€containingÏthe€following:ÌÒ ¸ ÒÒ ` ÒÓÓà àThe€plaintiffs,€of€course,€have€the€burden€of€proof€toÏestablish€by€a€preponderance€of€the€evidence€two€things.€ÏFirst,€that€the€school€board€though€its€driver,€Mr.€Miller,Ïwas€negligent.ÌÓ  Ó„€„€„€„ÌÓ  Óà àFirst€of€all,€thereððs€no€dispute€that€the€bus€stopped.ÌÓ  Ó„€„€„€„ÌÓ  Óà àI€find€that€Mr.€Miller€as€he€was€driving€up€the€roadÏhad€on€the€flashing€yellow€caution.€€I€also€find€that€at€theÏtime€he€was€stopped€in€front€of€this€home€that€the€red€lightsÏwere€on€flashing€and€also€the€stop€sign€outside€of€the€busÏhad€been€activated.ÌÓ  Ó„€„€„€„ÌÓ  Óà àSo€thereððs€no€debate€about€the€level€of€duty€andÏresponsibility€that€Mr.€Miller€had.€€It€was€a€very€high€duty.ÌÌà àMr.€Miller€says€that€he€did€not€at€any€time€wave€toÏthe€children.€€He€said€he€did€wave,€but€it€was€at€the€driver€ofÏthe€vehicle.€€But€he€says€that€he€did€not€tell€the€children€toÏcome€across€the€road.ÌÓ  Ó„€„€„€„ÌÓ  Óà àAll€right,€the€accident,€itself,€when€Edward€wasÏstruck.€€He€obviously€was€hit€or€the€side€of€the€car€hit€him.€ÏWhether€he€ran€into€the€side€of€the€car,€whether€the€side€ofÏthe€car€in€some€fashion€hit€him€as€he€was€standing€near€theÏedge€of€the€drive,€probably€no€one€will€ever€know.€€In€theÏdeposition€testimony,€Edward€felt€that€he€was€in€theÏdriveway€and€not€out€in€the€street.€€Today€his€memory€was,Ïand€again€he€was€being€as€truthful€as€he€knew€how€to€be,Ïwas€that€he€was€near€the€edge€of€the€drive€as€indicated€in€theÏdiagram;€and€that€when€he€saw€the€driver€wave,€that€he€wasÏgoing€to€walk€up€the€side€of€the€street,€cross€in€front€of€theÏbus€and€get€on€the€bus.€€He€doesnððt€remember€the€car€hittingÏhim.ÌÓ  Ó„€„€„€„ÌÓ  Óà àEven€if€these€children€and€in€particular€EdwardÏthought€that€Mr.€Miller€was€waving€them€to€come€across€theÏroad,€I€find€that€he€never€intended€or€did€that.€€I€find€that€hisÏeffort€to€stop€Ms.€Kress€was€entirely€responsible€andÏreasonable.€€I€find€that€in€no€way€did€Mr.€Miller€violate€aÏduty€which€would€constitute€negligence€or€that€would€beÏproximate€cause€of€the€injury€and€damage€that€Edward€hasÏso€unfortunately€suffered.ÌÓ  Ó„€„€„€„ÌÓ  Óà àThe€damage€and€injuries€suffered€by€Edward€is€theÏresult€of€the€negligence€of€Ms.€Kress€in€totally€failing€toÏobey€the€law€and€totally€disregarding€the€lights€and€signs€byÏthe€school€bus,€which€were€there€for€her€to€see.ÌÓ  Ó„€„€„€„ÌÓ  Óà àI€find€that€the€plaintiff€has€failed€to€carry€its€burdenÏof€proof€by€a€preponderance€of€the€evidence€and€has€notÏestablished€that€the€defendants€€through€its€driver,€Mr.ÏMiller,€was€negligent€or€such€negligence,€if€any,€was€theÏproximate€cause€of€the€injury€and€damage€to€Edward.ÌÌà à€ÌÒ  ÒÒ „ ÒÓÓà àThe€Trial€Judge€entered€œjudgment›€stating:ÌÒ ¸ ÒÒ ` ÒÓÓà àTHE€COURT€FINDS€that€the€sole€proximate€causeÏof€the€accident€is€the€conduct€of€KELLY€KRESS.ÌÌà àTHE€COURT€FURTHER€FINDS€that€the€PlaintiffÏhas€failed€to€prove€that€any€actions€or€inactions€of€theÏCLARKSVILLE„MONTGOMERY€COUNTY€SCHOOLÏBOARDððs€agent,€JAMES€LEON€MILLER,€SR.,€in€any€wayÏcaused€or€contributed€to€cause€this€accident.ÌÒ  ÒÒ „ ÒÓÓÌà àOn€appeal,€the€plaintiffs€state€the€issues€in€the€following€form:ÌÒ ¸ ÒÒ ` ÒÓÓà à1.à àThat€the€Court€erred€by€failing€to€find€theÏappellees€responsible€for€the€personal€injuries€to€appellant€byÏa€preponderance€of€the€evidence.ÌÌà à2.à àThat€the€Court€erred€by€failing€to€follow€theÏlaw€of€the€State€of€Tennessee€concerning€the€duty€of€schoolÏbus€drivers€to€children€entrusted€in€their€care.ÌÒ  ÒÒ „ ÒÓÓÌà àAppellants€first€rely€upon€ð ðthe€plentitude€of€violations€of€the€driverððs€manual.ððœ€ÏHowever,€appellants€cite€no€particular€part€of€said€manual€which€the€driver€is€shown€to€haveÏviolated.›ÌÌà àAppellants€next€complain€that€the€Trial€Court€found€the€defendant€Kress€negligentÏbecause€he€found€that€warning€lights€and€sign€were€displayed€by€the€bus€driver.€€The€TrialÏJudge€credited€the€testimony€of€defendant€Miller€and€another€witness€as€to€the€warning€devices.€ÏNothing€in€this€record€justifies€a€revision€of€the€finding€of€the€Trial€Judge€as€to€credibility.€€òòHillÏv.€Lawsonóó,€Tenn.€1992,€851€S.W.2d€822.ÌÌà àAppellants€next€complain€that€the€Trial€Judge€ignored€certain€key€testimony€and€exhibitsÏreflecting€upon€the€ð ðwaveðð€of€the€bus€driver.€€However,€no€specific€citation€supports€thisÏcomplaint.€€This€Court€agrees€with€the€Trial€Judge€that€the€preponderance€of€the€evidenceÏestablishes€that€the€negligence€of€the€defendant€Kress€in€disregarding€the€warning€devices€onÏthe€bus€€created€an€emergency€in€which€all€others€acted€within€their€ability€to€prevent€the€tragicÍœresult.€€The€circumstances€support€the€finding€that€the€negligence€of€Ms.€Kress€was€the€soleÏproximate€cause€of€the€injury.›ÌÌà àAppellants€cite€òòCartwright€v.€Gravesóó,€182€Tenn.€114,€184€S.W.2d€373€(1944),Ïœwherein›€the€Supreme€Court€affirmed€a€jury€verdict€for€the€plaintiff.€€The€injured€child€was€onÏboard€the€bus,€and€the€driver€opened€the€door€and€permitted€her€to€leave€the€bus€despite€the€factÏthat€a€large€lumber€truck€was€meeting€the€bus€and€about€to€pass€it€on€the€left€side.€In€the€presentÏcase,€the€Trial€Judge,€sitting€without€a€jury,€found€that€the€driver€did€not€signal€the€children€thatÏthey€might€safely€enter€the€street€to€board€the€bus,€but€was€trying€to€stop€a€vehicle€which€hadÏapproached€and€was€about€to€pass€€the€bus€at€a€high€speed€in€spite€of€visible€warning€devicesÏon€the€bus€and€the€strict€requirements€of€the€law.ÌÌà àThe€sum€and€substance€of€the€behavior€of€the€defendant,€Miller,€as€found€by€the€TrialÏJudge€is€that€Mr.€Miller€stopped€his€bus€in€the€middle€of€the€street,€saw€no€vehiclesÏapproaching€and€was€about€to€signal€the€children€to€cross€in€front€of€the€bus€to€enter€the€doorÏwhen€Ms.€Kress€came€speeding€toward€the€bus,€and€he€devoted€all€his€efforts€to€getting€her€toÏstop€as€required€by€law,€but€she€did€not€do€so.€€€She€admitted€that€her€only€response€to€signalsÏfrom€the€bus€was€to€ð ðtake€her€foot€off€of€the€gas.ðð€€Her€58€feet€of€skid€marks€began€at€the€pointÏof€collision€corroborating€her€failure€to€apply€brakes€sooner.€€If,€as€she€insists,€the€child€ranÏinto€the€side€of€her€car,€the€car€was€at€a€place€where€it€had€no€right€to€be,€namely€passing€aÏstopped€school€bus.€Ìœ›œ›œ›Ìà àT.C.A.€ðð€55„8„151€œprovides›€in€pertinent€part€as€follows:ÌÒ ¸ ÒÒ ` ÒÓÓà àò òOvertaking€and€passing€school€or€churchÏbus€„€Markings€„€Discharging€passengers€„ÍPenaltiesó ó.€„€(a)(1)€The€driver€of€a€vehicle€upon€a€highway,Ïupon€meeting€or€overtaking€from€either€direction€any€schoolÏbus€which€has€stopped€on€the€highway€for€the€purpose€ofÏreceiving€or€discharging€any€school€children,€shall€stop€theÏvehicle€before€reaching€such€school€bus,€and€the€driver€shallÏnot€proceed€until€such€school€bus€resumes€motion€or€isÏsignaled€by€the€school€bus€driver€to€proceed€or€the€visualÏsignals€are€no€longer€actuated.ÌÓ  Ó„€„€„€„ÌÓ  Óà à(5)à àAny€person€failing€to€comply€with€theÏrequirements€of€this€subsection,€requiring€motor€vehicles€toÏstop€upon€approaching€school€buses,€or€violating€any€of€theÏprovisions€of€this€subsection,€commits€a€Class€CÏmisdemeanor.ÌÒ  ÒÒ „ ÒÓÓÌà àThe€evidence€does€not€preponderate€against€the€factual€findings€by€the€Trial€œJudge,›€andÏno€error€of€law€is€found€in€his€conclusion€that€the€sole€proximate€cause€of€the€injury€was€theÏnegligence€of€the€defendant,€Ms.€Kress.Ìœ›œ›Ìà àThe€judgment€of€the€Trial€Court€is€affirmed.€€Costs€of€this€appeal€are€taxed€against€theÏappellants.€€The€cause€is€remanded€to€the€Trial€Court€for€necessary€further€procedure.ÌÓ  Óò òÌAFFIRMED€AND€REMANDEDó ó.ÌÓ  ÓÓÓà àà àà àà àÌÌà àà àà àà àà àà àà à_________________________________Ìà àà àà àà àà àà àà àHENRY€F.€TODDà àÌà àà àà àà àà àà àà àPRESIDING€JUDGE,€MIDDLEÏSECTIONÌÓ  ÓÌÌÌ̛̜ÌCONCUR:ÌÌÌ_____________________________ÌBEN€H.€CANTRELL,€JUDGEÌÌÌ_____________________________ÌWILLIAM€B.€CAIN,€JUDGEÌ