Opinion
2013-01-29
Sharon BAILEY, Plaintiff–Appellant–Respondent, v. The CITY OF NEW YORK, Defendant–Respondent, Wallace C. Steidle, Defendant–Respondent–Appellant.
Sullivan Papain Block McGrath & Cannavo P.C., New York (Stephen C. Glasser of counsel), for appellant-respondent. Law Offices of James J. Toomey, New York (Eric P. Tosca of counsel), for respondent-appellant.
Sullivan Papain Block McGrath & Cannavo P.C., New York (Stephen C. Glasser of counsel), for appellant-respondent. Law Offices of James J. Toomey, New York (Eric P. Tosca of counsel), for respondent-appellant.
Michael A. Cardozo, Corporation Counsel, New York (Jane L. Gordon of counsel), for respondent.
MAZZARELLI, J.P., RENWICK, RICHTER, GISCHE, CLARK, JJ.
Order, Supreme Court, Bronx County (Larry S. Schachner, J.), entered July 26, 2011, which granted defendant City of New York's motion for summary judgment dismissing the complaint and cross claim against it, and granted plaintiff's motion for summary judgment on the issue of liability as against defendant Steidle, unanimously affirmed, without costs.
Plaintiff seeks damages for injuries she allegedly suffered when the vehicle in which she was a passenger was struck in the rear by the vehicle driven by defendant Steidle at an intersection at which the traffic had been stopped by a police officer. The officer was part of a motorcycle parade escort and had halted all other traffic entering the intersection so that the parade could proceed. The City cannot be held liable for plaintiff's injuries because the officer was engaged in the discretionary act of traffic control ( see Valdez v. City of New York, 18 N.Y.3d 69, 75, 936 N.Y.S.2d 587, 960 N.E.2d 356 [2011];Lewis v. City of New York, 82 A.D.3d 410, 918 N.Y.S.2d 70 [1st Dept. 2011],lv. denied16 N.Y.3d 713, 2011 WL 1756521 [2011] ).
The record demonstrates that the vehicle in which plaintiff was riding was stopped when Steidle's vehicle struck it in the rear end. Steidle failed to offer a non-negligent explanation for the collision ( see Androvic v. Metropolitan Transp. Auth., 95 A.D.3d 610, 944 N.Y.S.2d 113 [1st Dept. 2012];Johnson v. Phillips, 261 A.D.2d 269, 271, 690 N.Y.S.2d 545 [1st Dept. 1999] ).