Almgren v. Fletcher — 304 N.Y. 547

Majority

p. 547

In the Matter of Walter Almgren, Appellant, against Clifford J. Fletcher, as Commissioner of Motor Vehicles of the State of New York, Respondent.

Submitted November 24, 1952;

decided January 15, 1953.

p. 549

Benjamin Goldring and Herman Pike for appellant.

I. The determination below is erroneous. (Matter of Hart v. Mealey,

p. 550

287 N. Y. 39 ; Hall v. Dilworth, 94 Misc. 240 ; Barker v. Savage, 45 N. Y. 191 ; Lee v. City Brewing Corp., 279 N. Y. 380 ; Ward v. Clark, 232 N. Y. 195 .) II. The determination below takes the substance out of the “ substantial evidence ” test, and deprives the statutory standard of “ gross negligence ” of objective meaning. (People v. Angelo, 246 N. Y. 451 ; Matter of Jenson v. Fletcher, 277 App. Div. 454 , 303 N. Y. 639 ; People v. Grogan, 260 N. Y. 138 ; People v. Gardner, 255 App. Div. 683 ; People v. Bearden, 290 N. Y. 478 .)

Nathaniel L. Goldstein, Attorney-General (Abe Wagman, Wendell P. Brown and Irving L. Rollins of counsel), for respondent.

The record discloses evidence of gross negligence which is substantial in character and sufficient in law to justify the commissioner’s determination. (Matter of Stork Restaurant v. Boland, 282 N. Y. 256 ; Weigand v. United Traction Co., 221 N. Y. 39 ; Tosto v. Marra Bros., 275 App. Div. 686 , 299 N. Y. 700 ; Von Der Geest v. Millinger, 276 App. Div. 1093 ; La Grande v. Abbott, 266 App. Div. 507 ; Lee v. City Brewing Corp., 279 N. Y. 380 ; People v. Rosenheimer, 209 N. Y. 115 ; Ward v. Clark, 232 N. Y. 195 ; Plantz v. Greiner, 232 App. Div. 73 ; Shirley v. Larkin Co., 239 N. Y. 94 ; People v. Bearden, 290 N. Y. 478 .)

Giving the evidence in this record the consideration to which it is fairly entitled, we deem it insufficient, as a matter of law, to support the finding that petitioner was guilty of ‘ ‘ gross negligence ’ ’ in the operation of his motor vehicle, or that he operated it “ in a manner showing a reckless disregard for life or property of others ’ ’ within the meaning of paragraph (e) of subdivision 3 of section 71 of the Vehicle and Traffic Law. (Matter of Hart v. Mealey, 287 N. Y. 39 ; Matter of Jenson v. Fletcher, 277 App. Div. 454 , affd. 303 N. Y. 639 ; People v. Angelo, 246 N. Y. 451 .)

The order of the Appellate Division should be reversed, and the determination of the Commissioner of Motor Vehicles annulled, without costs.

Loughran, Ch. J., Lewis, Conway, Desmond, Dye, Fuld and Froessel, JJ., concur.

Order reversed, etc.

Cases cited

Hart v. Mealey 287 N. Y. 39 N.Y. 1941-11-27 p. 550
Hall v. DilWorth 94 Misc. 240 N.Y. App. Term p. 550
Barker v. Savage 45 N. Y. 191 N.Y. 1871-03-21 p. 550
Lee v. City Brewing Corp. 279 N. Y. 380 N.Y. 1939-01-10 p. 550
Ward v. Clark 232 N. Y. 195 N.Y. 1921-11-22 p. 550
People v. Angelo 246 N. Y. 451 N.Y. 1927-11-22 p. 550
Jenson v. Fletcher 303 N. Y. 639 N.Y. 1951-10-19 p. 550
People v. Grogan 260 N. Y. 138 N.Y. 1932-11-22 p. 550
People v. Bearden 290 N. Y. 478 N.Y. 1943-06-10 p. 550
Stork Restaurant, Inc. v. Boland 282 N. Y. 256 N.Y. 1940-03-05 p. 550
Weigand v. United Traction Co. 221 N. Y. 39 N.Y. 1917-05-15 p. 550
Tosto v. Marra Bros. 299 N. Y. 700 N.Y. 1949-06-02 p. 550
Shirley v. Larkin Co. 239 N. Y. 94 N.Y. 1924-11-25 p. 550