I'm a professional driver.
At the time of this accident,
I was a school-bus driver,
and plus I have safety training
through the Smith System.
>> Judge Judy: Where had you
taken a wrong turn?
>> At about 38th, I took
a right turn when I needed
to take a left turn.
>> Judge Judy: Were both of your
cars insured on the day of
the accident?
>> Both: Yes.
>> Judge Judy: With whom?
>> Allstate for me.
>> State Farm.
>> Judge Judy: Can I see
pictures of the damage to
the car, please?
>> Yes.
>> Judge Judy: What kind
of a car were you driving,
Mr. Owens?
>> A Buick Park Avenue, 1997.
>> Judge Judy: And what happened
to that car?
>> Several weeks later,
the engine blew due to a hose
that was torn to the radiator
that I hadn't seen.
>> The steering wheel was
different, too, wasn't it?
>> Yeah, it was out of
alignment.
>> Judge Judy: Were the police
called?
>> They were.
He called them, and they said
they would not come out unless
there was an injury.
>> Judge Judy: Okay.
Mr. Macalus, when Mr. Owens got
out of the car, would you go
over there and show me where it
was that the two cars stopped
and you exchanged information?
>> We pulled into this parking
lot right up here and
exchanged --
>> Judge Judy: Just a second.
How did he get into the parking
lot over there?
>> It was late at night,
and there weren't many cars
around.
>> Judge Judy: So he made
a circle.
>> One way or another, yeah.
>> Judge Judy: Just a second.
>> Yes.
>> Judge Judy: So the question
is, based upon what you told me,
if you collided then and if it
was late at night and nobody
was there, then you would have
pulled into the lower --
>> Down here?
>> Judge Judy: Down to there.
That's where you would have
gone.
>> Okay.
Our cars ended up in
the middle of the road,
so we were just trying to get
them off of the...
>> Judge Judy: But it would have
been clear to me...
>> Yes.
>> Judge Judy: ...that
the easiest path, if I believe
your story, was to pull into
the lower parking lot.
That's the way his car would
have gone, and that's the way
your car would have gone.
>> Okay, well, regardless,
we ended up up there.
>> Judge Judy: Okay.
You can step back now.
>> All right, thank you.
>> Uh, Your Honor, I have
pictures of the damage to
the cars, and it shows that
where the impact happened on
his car and on my car --
>> Judge Judy: I'd like to take
a look at it.
>> ...are opposite to what
the diagram is.
>> Judge Judy: Your car's
the white car.
>> Yes, it was the white car.
>> Your Honor, can I mention
something?
>> Judge Judy: Mm-hmm.
Would you show this to him,
please -- to the plaintiff?
>> I, uh --
>> Judge Judy: Were you on
the phone?
>> No.
>> Yes. He was.
>> Judge Judy: This accident
happened on August 19th?
>> Yes.
>> Judge Judy: Do you have your
phone with you?
>> I do.
>> Judge Judy: Is it the same
phone that you had that day?
>> Yes.
>> Judge Judy: Would you take
a look at your phone log?
>> Yeah.
>> Judge Judy: Take a look at
your phone log for August 19th.
>> Oh, calls.
I was thinking about texts.
I don't have anything from
the 19th.
>> Judge Judy: Yes?
>> May I state that he wasn't
necessarily sending a text
message, but his phone was
clearly in his hand, there was
light on his face, and he wasn't
looking at the road, he was
looking at his phone before
and after the accident,
and even as he went to park.
I know because he had
mentioned --
>> Judge Judy: Mr. Macalus?
>> Yes?
>> Judge Judy: Where were you
going that night?
>> I was heading to
a girlfriend's at the time.
>> Judge Judy: What's your
girlfriend's name?
>> She's not my girlfriend
anymore.
>> Judge Judy: Where does she
live?
>> Huh?
>> Judge Judy: Where did she
live?
>> She lived off of
Pillsbury Avenue, which was
a few blocks away.
>> Judge Judy: Is that what you
were looking at on your phone?
>> I was not.
I did have my GPS logged in.
>> Judge Judy: Give me back
those photographs, please.
Your insurance companies both
did an investigation?
>> Yes.
>> Judge Judy: Is that correct?
And Mr. Owens' insurance company
declined to pay your deductible.
>> Yes.
>> Judge Judy: They were right.
>> I don't believe that.
>> Judge Judy: They were right.
Based upon the damage to
the car, I believe that you were
probably trying to find your
then girlfriend's house.
Maybe that's what you were
looking on your GPS, but you
weren't paying attention,
and you hit him.
>> That is not true.
>> Judge Judy: We're