Barney v. Thompson

This is a negligence action wherein the
plaintiffs seek to recover damages for personal
injuries incurred in a collision in the town of
Hamden. The complaint alleges that the plaintiff
Peter Barney was operating a car in a southerly
direction on the Wilbur Cross Parkway; that the
defendant Ronald A. Ereshena, as the agent of the
defendant Lois Thompson, was operating a vehicle
owned by her in a northerly direction on the
Wilbur Cross Parkway; that the Thompson car went
out of control, blocking both northbound lanes of
the highway; that the defendant John J. Corpaci,
operating a vehicle to the rear of the Thompson
vehicle, attempted to avoid it by applying his
brakes and by steering sharply to the left; that
the car operated by Corpaci struck the car
operated by Ereshena, mounted the median divider,
and struck the oncoming vehicle being operated in
the southbound lane by the plaintiff Peter Barney;
and that the collision and injuries and damages to
the plaintiffs were caused by the negligence of
Ereshena and Corpaci. On July 29, 1969, Corpaci
filed what was entitled a "counter claim and
cross-complaint" against his codefendants,
Ereshena and Thompson, alleging that Corpaci's
own vehicle was damaged in the August 6, 1967,
accident by reason of the negligence of Ereshena,
and claiming $3500 damages. On September 22, 1969, the defendants Thompson
and Ereshena moved to erase the cross claim
[159 Conn. 418]