Opinion
No. 18,346.
Transfer denied March 27, 1953.
STATUTES — Highways — Automobiles — Obstructions On Shoulder of — Utility Poles. — Where complaint for damages alleged that plaintiff's automobile struck a utility pole which was lying on the shoulder of a road within two or three feet from the pavement the provision of Section 36-1705, Burns' 1949 Replacement did not apply.
From the Clay Circuit Court, Robert B. Stewart, Judge.
Action by Stanley Copeland by his next friend, Helen Copeland, against the Public Service Company of Indiana, Inc. and the L.E. Meyers Company for personal injuries. Plaintiff appealed from an adverse judgment after he refused to plead over after a ruling sustaining a demurrer to the complaint.
Transfer denied.
Walter F. Wood, of Sullivan, and Bert M. Laymon, of Brazil, for appellant.
Bernard C. Craig, of Brazil, for appellee.
This action is here on petition to transfer under § 4-215, Burns' 1946 Replacement.
We approve the result reached by the Appellate Court in its opinion 108 N.E.2d 273. However, we do not approve the statement that "the allegations of the first paragraph of amended complaint are sufficient to present a question of fact as to whether appellees violated the emphasized provision of the above quoted statute." Such "emphasized provision" being a part of § 1, ch. 161, of the Acts of 1911, p. 424, § 36-1705, Burns' 1949 Replacement, is as follows:
"Provided, That the same shall be erected and maintained in such manner as not to incommode the public in the use of such roads, highways and waters: . . . ."
It is our opinion that this section of the statute does not apply to a factual situation such as is presented by the complaint in this case.
The complaint does, in our opinion, state facts sufficient to constitute a charge of common law negligence.
Transfer denied.
NOTE. — Reported in 111 N.E.2d 47.