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00:00You chased him because he was leaving the scene.
00:03Yes.
00:04This is Judy Justice.
00:07You didn't have insurance.
00:08I have insurance.
00:09At the time of the accident.
00:11Yes, to my knowledge.
00:13If you're going to lie, sir, don't lie to people
00:17who are smarter than you are.
00:38Roger and Teresa Stone are suing fellow motorist, Dakota Taylor,
00:43for car damages resulting from an incident at a stoplight.
00:47Court come to order.
00:49Arise.
00:53Have a seat, please.
00:56Judge case 4079, Stone v. Taylor.
00:59You're welcome.
01:01Mr. and Mrs. Stone, are you both employed?
01:05Retired?
01:06Retired.
01:06Retired.
01:07Now, just so that I put this case in perspective,
01:11have either of you been psychiatrically hospitalized
01:14in the last 10 years?
01:16No.
01:17How many times have you initiated a lawsuit
01:21involving damage to your car?
01:24Never.
01:25How old are you?
01:2771.
01:28And you, sir?
01:2877.
01:30Both look terrific.
01:31Now, how many times have you had automobile accidents?
01:35You, Mrs. Stone?
01:37Twice or three times.
01:39And you, sir?
01:40None.
01:40Zero.
01:42Now, it is your claim that this young man sort of sideswiped your car,
01:48caused some damage, left the scene.
01:51Who was driving?
01:52I was.
01:54You were.
01:54You did a foolish thing because you chased him because he was leaving the scene.
01:59Police finally arrived.
02:01Then there was some story that he had with a friend of his who miraculously showed up at
02:07the scene.
02:07His name is Joshua?
02:09Joseph.
02:10Joseph.
02:11Joseph.
02:11I don't see him here today.
02:14That's not an um.
02:15That's a no, he's not here.
02:17He would have been.
02:18What?
02:18What?
02:19He's not here.
02:21Is he in the military?
02:22No, he's.
02:23Is he dead?
02:24No.
02:24Is he in a hospital?
02:25Yes.
02:26For what?
02:27He just had a baby.
02:29Him and his fiancee.
02:29That's a miraculous.
02:31He's in the hospital because he just had a baby?
02:34Him and his fiancee just had a baby yesterday.
02:37And?
02:37That's why he's not here today.
02:39Did he have a ticket to come here before his fiancee went into the hospital?
02:43Yes.
02:44And when were we notified that he wasn't going to be here?
02:49I'm not too sure.
02:50Not too sure.
02:52Okay, let's get to the date of this incident.
02:54It happened in August of this year.
02:56August what?
02:5723rd.
02:58What time of the day?
02:59Early afternoon.
03:00And where were you going or coming from?
03:02We were coming from, we celebrated my birthday the day before, and we were going home.
03:08And where were you going?
03:09I was going to my friend's house.
03:11Which friend?
03:12Joseph.
03:13I was following him home.
03:15Where had you been?
03:16We were about an hour away, working on a car.
03:18And you were following him home?
03:20Correct.
03:21So if you were following him, that means he was in front of you?
03:24Correct.
03:25Okay.
03:25Now why don't you tell me what happened?
03:27As we're going home, we're coming up to an intersection.
03:29There was a...
03:30Why don't you go over to this map?
03:32Yes, ma'am.
03:37We're coming up to the intersection.
03:38There was two lanes.
03:39Goes to the left.
03:40We were in the right-hand lane.
03:42He was in the left-hand lane.
03:44There was two or three cars in front of him.
03:47There were two or three cars in front of him.
03:49And he was in the left lane.
03:52Making a left turn.
03:53And you were in the right lane.
03:55Right lane.
03:56Making a left turn.
03:57Making a left turn.
03:57Okay.
03:58What kind of car was he driving?
04:00Do you know?
04:00I can't remember right off hand.
04:02What kind of car were you driving?
04:042017 Hyundai Elantra.
04:06What color?
04:07Black.
04:07And he was in front of you.
04:16Correct.
04:17He was in that...
04:17He was in front of you.
04:19That's what you said.
04:20You were following him.
04:21Not technically.
04:22What do you mean, not technically?
04:23He wasn't directly in front of me.
04:24He was...
04:25Where was he?
04:26May I go up to the board and show?
04:28Yes.
04:28Step aside for a second so you can stay where you are.
04:31Okay, Mr. Taylor, go up there and show me where you tell me Joseph was.
04:35The white car, that's where he was.
04:38The white car...
04:39Just a second.
04:39Yeah.
04:39The white car is where Joseph is.
04:42Correct.
04:43Okay.
04:43And you were in...
04:45Right here.
04:45You were right there.
04:46Now go back.
04:50So Joseph was in front of you.
04:53If there were two or three cars in front of you and Joseph is in a different lane,
04:58he was still in front of you.
05:00That's either a yes or a no.
05:01Yes.
05:02Okay.
05:03Continue.
05:04As we were moving up, we were coming in, I happened to look out my way.
05:09I seen he was going to be turning over to my lane.
05:12So I actually stopped.
05:14Otherwise, he would have swiped the whole side of the car.
05:16And he run into the driver's door and a little bit on the rear door.
05:22Okay.
05:23And then after he hit us, he backed up into his lane.
05:27He backed up into the lane that he was originally in.
05:30Right.
05:31So he got out of the car, I got out of the car, and my wife got out of the
05:35car.
05:36Okay.
05:36Now go back.
05:39Okay.
05:40Now, when he got out of the car, did he look at your car?
05:44No.
05:45What did he do when he got out?
05:46He just looked at us like that there, and I don't think he said one word.
05:51And then what happened?
05:53When I got out of the car, I told him, considering there was traffic and the light actually turned green
05:59ahead of us, there was traffic behind him and there was traffic behind me.
06:03So nobody could make a left turn.
06:05Right.
06:05So I told him to move forward around the corner.
06:08So I figured he'd go around the corner and stop.
06:11So did you both make the left turn?
06:13So we both made the left turn.
06:14Okay.
06:14You make the left turn.
06:15And what happened next, Mr. Stone?
06:17Well, after we made the left turn, I figured he would pull over into the right lane and pull over
06:23and stop, which he didn't.
06:24He stayed in his lane and kept going forward.
06:26So we ended up getting behind his vehicle as he was going away.
06:31And my wife called 911 to report to what was happening, that Mr. Taylor here hit us and we were
06:40following him.
06:41Well, you know that that could be dangerous.
06:42Right.
06:43And I'm sure the police dispatcher, who you spoke to, told you that.
06:47You know, that this isn't the Wild West.
06:49Be careful, right?
06:50Right.
06:53But can I get my side of the story?
06:55I'm dying to hear.
06:56Do you have family, living family?
06:58Yes.
06:59You don't want to appear to be foolish, do you?
07:01I want you to tell this face a story that I'm going to believe.
07:15Roger and Theresa Stone claim fellow motorist Dakota Taylor is responsible for car damages after Dakota scraped their vehicle.
07:25Now, did he ultimately stop?
07:28Technically, at the time, no.
07:30It was six miles down the road that the police department, after we called the police department, told them where
07:35we were, what happened and all like that there.
07:38As we got down six miles down the road, there was a sheriff department coming the opposite direction.
07:43He turned on his lights, turned around, and got behind us.
07:46And Mr. Taylor pulled over, and we pulled over behind him, about 15 to 20 yards behind him.
07:51Then the police department come up to us, took our information, and then went over to Mr. Taylor and took
07:56us information.
07:57Do you have a police report?
07:58Yes.
07:59Do you have a police report? I'd like to see it, please.
08:01Police report.
08:04And so, Mr. Taylor, just so that we understand what the parameters of this case are, it is your claim
08:12in your answer that you never hit his car.
08:15Correct, because I never hit him.
08:26Do you have photographs of the damage to your car?
08:29I'd like to take a look at it, as well as the estimate.
08:32Then we're going to get to Mr. Taylor.
08:35Who do you live with, Mr. Taylor?
08:37Myself.
08:38Is the car in your name?
08:39Yes, Your Honor.
08:40Who insures the car?
08:41I do.
08:42Who insures it?
08:43What company?
08:44Uh, Geico.
08:45On the date of this incident, it was insured, correct?
08:48Yes.
08:48Do you have liability?
08:50I had full coverage.
08:52You have full coverage.
08:53Is there a loan on the car?
08:55Yes.
08:56All I want is the photographs of the damage.
08:59Come, come.
09:08So, Mr. Taylor, so as not to confuse this case any further, it is your claim that there was no
09:16contact between your car and the Stone's car.
09:20Correct.
09:21You would agree that if there was contact between your car and Mr. and Mrs. Stone's car that, based upon
09:27the scenario, you would be at fault.
09:30Correct.
09:31Now, when ultimately the police arrived and you stopped about six miles down the road, because I just read all
09:38the police reports, am I correct that you told the police that you were prepared to fix the damage?
09:45If there was, if I hit their car.
09:47Just a second.
09:48No.
09:48You didn't say if you hit their car.
09:51Whitney, at the beginning of this case, did he not tell me that he and his friend Joseph were coming
09:58from working on a car?
10:00Yeah, he said he was working on a car.
10:02Working on a car.
10:03Now, do you do that for a living or a hobby?
10:07Both.
10:07So, when you offered to fix the damage yourself, it was because you could fix it yourself, you and maybe
10:14your friend Joseph.
10:15Correct.
10:16Perfect.
10:17Now, does it refresh your recollection when I told you that when the police finally arrived and stopped, Dakota was
10:25apologetic if he had caused the damage and offered to fix it himself?
10:30Roger and Dakota swapped personal and insurance information because the drivers agreed to handle this through insurance and there was
10:39minimal damage to both vehicles.
10:41That includes yours because the police noticed damage on his car and yours.
10:45I have photo evidence that there is no damage on my car.
10:48Just a second.
10:49The police, at the time of this incident, you want me to read you what they said?
10:54They didn't know you.
10:55They didn't know him.
10:56They just wrote down what they saw.
10:59Right?
10:59Police said the damage to both cars was under $1,000.
11:03It was considered a non-reportable traffic accident.
11:07Police noticed minor damage observed on both vehicles.
11:11They're not alleging major damage.
11:13They said you scraped their car.
11:14But I didn't.
11:16I had minor damage.
11:17Well, you had minor damage on your car, which the police noted.
11:20They had minor damage on their car, which the police noted.
11:23These people have lived on this earth for seven decades plus.
11:28They have not been psychiatrically hospitalized.
11:31They are not regulars to small claims court.
11:34Why in the world, sir, would you think that they would accuse you of scraping their car,
11:41that the police observed damage to your car and their car consistent with that,
11:47that you got out of the car and said if I did...
11:49I never got out of the car, though.
11:51What?
11:51I never got one step foot out of the car until I was asked by a police officer.
11:55I said when you were stopped by the police, you told the police that you would fix the damage.
12:01And you're in that business either as a hobby or as a full-time occupation.
12:06Correct.
12:06I mean, there is a reason for you to say I don't remember or didn't hear that I hit the
12:12car.
12:13I think that you actually did because you moved back into your lane very quickly.
12:18Right?
12:19Correct.
12:19But can I get my side of the story and go up to the border?
12:22I'm dying to hear.
12:23I'm dying to hear.
12:24Do you have family, living family?
12:26Yes.
12:27Who?
12:27My mom.
12:28My sister.
12:30Yeah.
12:30How old are you?
12:3119.
12:32You don't want to appear to be foolish, do you?
12:34I want you to tell this face a story that I'm going to believe.
12:39I want you to tell this face in front of 10 million people a story that I'm going to believe.
12:45Why these two people would accuse you of causing minor damage to their car.
12:50They're not asking for personal injury, they didn't say that they had whiplash.
12:55They said that you scraped their car and kept going.
12:58Now, there's no question that you saw these two elderly people, you're 19 years old, and you kept going.
13:04Now you can go over there, sir.
13:06Now you can go over and tell me your side of the story.
13:09It's not like me to prejudge.
13:11So, my friend was parked here.
13:13Yeah, that's where Joseph's car is and you were in that lane.
13:16You're blue.
13:17Trying to get behind him.
13:18I turned on my blinker.
13:19I understand that you were trying to get behind him because you were following him.
13:23I turned on my blinker, looked over my shoulder.
13:25I went to go like I was going to turn, looked again.
13:29I saw them there, so I turned back away, never even crossed the middle line.
13:33So, I never hit them.
13:34Just a second.
13:35I stayed in my own lane.
13:37Okay.
13:37So, now go back.
13:42When the police finally stopped you, Joseph came on the scene a couple of minutes later.
13:49Is that correct?
13:50Yes.
13:51And Joseph had a conversation with the police.
13:54Correct.
13:54And Joseph to the police said he saw the incident and there was no contact between your car and theirs.
14:01Correct.
14:02But Joseph was in front of you, according to both of you.
14:05So, how could Joseph report to the police that he observed the whole incident and there was no contact between
14:12the two cars?
14:13You want to try to explain that to me?
14:15Stop.
14:19Mr. Taylor, did you just tell me a fib that you were insured by Geico?
14:25Didn't he say Geico, Whitney?
14:27Geico.
14:27I should have been insured.
14:28That should have been.
14:29I didn't ask you shoulda, woulda, coulda.
14:31I asked you were you in fact insured on the 23rd of August.
14:46Roger and Theresa Stone have accused fellow motorist Dakota Taylor of owing for car damages after Dakota scraped their vehicle.
14:56Now, just remember what you just told me.
14:59You want to explain to me how Joseph could tell the police that he observed this incident from where he
15:07was.
15:08Show me.
15:10Da da da da da da.
15:1219 and stupid.
15:1319 and stupid.
15:15Show me how Joseph could report to the police that he observed you trying to get into the right lane
15:22and then immediately switching to the left.
15:24From the mirror.
15:25From the mirror.
15:26As a direct view.
15:26You mean he was looking in the rear view mirror.
15:29So, he saw it from the rear view mirror.
15:30That's what you...
15:31Rear view mirror and the side mirror.
15:32Just...
15:32So, you're telling me that he was looking at the side mirror and the rear view mirror.
15:36That's what he reported to the police about.
15:38He was reporting to the police that he observed this incident from being in front of you because he was
15:43looking at his rear view mirror.
15:45Yes.
15:45Get back there.
15:49Did you know that in New York State they are removing Regents exams as mandated to graduate high school with
15:59a Regents diploma?
16:00Did you know that?
16:01I did.
16:02You know what that's called in my view?
16:04That is called the dumbing down of America.
16:07Okay.
16:08Can I see an estimate to the damage to your car so please?
16:16Just a minute.
16:19Your Honor.
16:20Yes.
16:22Also, I got a hold of Taylor to say the car wasn't costing that much and to save you from
16:28your insurance going up or getting cancelled would you like to pay it out of pocket?
16:32And he agreed to come to our house and we were going to make an arrangement.
16:35When was this?
16:36The 26th I believe.
16:3826th of August.
16:40Yes.
16:41And to find out he was a no-show so I called him.
16:44Okay.
16:45So you made a date to come to the house?
16:47Correct.
16:47To your house?
16:48Correct.
16:49And did you do this by text message?
16:51By phone.
16:52Ever followed up with text messages or emails?
16:55No.
16:55Just by phone?
16:56Yes.
16:56I know.
16:57We're old.
16:58I'm older than you are but we're old.
16:59We use the phone.
17:01Right.
17:02Okay.
17:03Why didn't you go to their house on the 26th?
17:05How am I supposed?
17:06Why didn't you go to the house on the 26th if you had made arrangements to go there?
17:11I didn't know where their house was.
17:12They never once told me where their house was or give me an address.
17:16You had to have insurance.
17:19You exchanged insurance information.
17:21Yeah, but I lost that paper.
17:28I've never had to do anything with insurances.
17:31You know, maybe they should raise the age of driving to an age where people actually knew how to be
17:38responsible.
17:40Okay.
17:41So, Mrs. Stone, what happened after he was a no-show?
17:45Well, then I called him and he kind of laughed at me and then my husband talked to him and
17:50he hung up on him.
17:51Well, then I called his insurance company and to find out he didn't have insurance.
17:55You have proof of that for me?
17:57I'd like to see it.
17:58Mr. Taylor, did you just tell me a fib that you were insured by GEICO?
18:03Didn't he say GEICO, Whitney?
18:05GEICO.
18:06GEICO.
18:07Didn't you tell me you were insured by GEICO?
18:09I was at the time.
18:10At the time of the accident?
18:11Correct.
18:12Just a second.
18:13Before I read this, are you sure at the time of this accident, which was August 23rd...
18:19I should have been insured.
18:20That should have been.
18:21I didn't ask you shoulda, woulda, coulda.
18:22I asked you, were you in fact insured on the 23rd of August?
18:28Yes.
18:29I have photo evidence and copy of me saying that I have insurance all the way to the end of
18:34August 31st.
18:35But you didn't have insurance, and then you made an appointment to meet her.
18:39And if you made an appointment to meet her on the 26th on the phone, which you don't deny, Mr.
18:45Taylor,
18:45why didn't you just say, I lost the paper, please give me your address?
18:50Duh!
18:51Because I was busy with work.
18:54Are you an only child?
18:55No.
18:56No.
18:56How many brothers and sisters do you have?
18:58Nine.
18:59Nine.
19:00How many boys and how many girls?
19:02Two sisters, the rest are brothers.
19:03And where are you in this mix?
19:06The last child.
19:07You're the youngest?
19:08Yes.
19:09Yeah.
19:09I thought earlier he said he only had a sister.
19:12You may be right.
19:13Did he say anything about only having a sister?
19:17Oh, you're right.
19:18He said he had a mother.
19:19And a sister.
19:20And a sister.
19:20Yeah, you said, do you have family?
19:23Family.
19:23Living family.
19:24Yes.
19:24Who?
19:25My mom.
19:25My sister.
19:27Duh.
19:29You know, Mr. Taylor, this is a very easy case for me.
19:331537.
19:34That's the judgment for the plaintiff.
19:35But I'm going to tell you, life is a journey.
19:38You can have an exciting journey.
19:40You can have a big life.
19:42You can have a small life.
19:43You can have a nothing life.
19:45If you're going to lie, sir, don't lie to people who are smarter than you are.
19:51Especially when you have a stenographer taking down every word that you say.
19:55Do you understand?
19:571537.
19:58We're done.
20:00This court is adjourned.
20:06Apparently, they said that I was a hit and run suspect.
20:09He got out of his vehicle.
20:11And my husband motioned him to pull over to the side of the road.
20:14He got back in and took off.
20:16I do know that they were behind me.
20:17So that's probably how they got all my information and got me pulled over.
20:20If you're involved in an accident, hold up to it.
20:22But like I said, I've never hit their car, never touched their car.
20:26Nothing like that.
20:27Don't lie.
20:30You know, I've been in a few fender benders myself.
20:33Accidents.
20:34They're accidents.
20:35That's why they're not called on purposes.
20:37But I could not imagine just driving away.
20:39Even if I wasn't sure, right?
20:41You see someone in front of you that you were inching in front of.
20:44Get out of their vehicle.
20:45Wave you down in some way.
20:47Even if I wasn't sure.
20:49You know, the music's loud.
20:50Maybe you scraped them quietly.
20:52I don't know.
20:53I couldn't imagine just not getting out and just driving away.
20:56It blows my mind.
20:58I mean, people have to be better citizens than we are.
21:01That's called entitlement of youth.
21:05Yeah.
21:05But what I found fascinating was his mind was quick enough to come up with a reason for everything.
21:12Yeah.
21:12Which means he's been used to getting over.
21:15Mm-hmm.
21:16And somebody has to slap that.
21:19Yep.
21:20Or else that's the way he's going to grow up.
21:21Mm-hmm.
21:22He's almost already cooked.
21:2419 is almost already cooked.
21:25Right.
21:26Maybe we set him on a little bit of a better path.
21:29Ah, you know, I wouldn't be sure about that, but...
21:31You could only hope.
21:32Did my...
21:33Did your best.
21:34Did my best.
21:36Did my best.
21:36Are you a victim of an assault?
21:38Go to judyjustice.tv.
21:40Wasne for you.
21:44All right.
22:09We're here with New England.
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