in the matter
of Donovan vs. Ayres,
step forward.
>> Announcer: 22-year-old
Nevin Donovan is suing
Jared Ayres for crashing into
his parked car while he was
driving drunk.
>> Judge Judy: Mr. Donovan,
prior to November 2nd of this
year, had you ever met
Mr. Ayres?
>> I had not.
>> Judge Judy: And this,
I assume, is your brother.
>> Yes.
>> Judge Judy: You and your
brother were looking at a house
to rent.
>> An apartment, yes.
>> Judge Judy: An apartment
to rent.
And that was on the 2nd
of November of this year.
According to you,
while you were inside,
you heard a crash outside.
And you came outside and saw
that the defendant had hit
your parked car.
And it appeared
as if his airbag imploded.
And he was injured.
And your car was severely
damaged.
That's what you're suing for,
the damages to your car.
Mr. Ayres has a counterclaim
for his medical bills.
He was seriously injured.
And he says
that the accident happened
when you were carelessly
backing out of the driveway
and didn't see him
and plowed into his car.
He's counterclaiming
for his medical bills.
I assume you have
a police report...
>> Yes, Judge.
>> Judge Judy: ...that day.
And I assume you have
your medical reports.
>> Yes.
>> Judge Judy: Not your bills,
the reports from the hospital.
>> I have the bills only.
I don't have the reports.
>> Judge Judy: I'm not
interested in the bills.
>> All right.
Then no, Your Honor.
>> Judge Judy: If you don't have
the report from the EMT
that took you to the hospital,
I'm not interested
in your counterclaim.
Do we understand each other?
>> Yes, Your Honor.
>> Judge Judy: Because the
medical reports would tell me
whether or not you were drunk.
Right?
>> Yes.
>> Judge Judy: Because they
would tell me
whether the emergency-room
people at the time of your
admission to the hospital on
November 2nd said that you were
incoherent or high or drunk.
Right?
>> Yeah.
>> Judge Judy: Right.
So, why don't you tell me
what happened, Mr. Donovan?
>> Well, my brother and I were
inside of our new apartment,
with our landlord, going over
our final agreement for renting.
That's when we heard two loud
bangs.
We looked out the window
and saw a truck
that was crashed into the woods.
So, all three of us ran outside.
We heard a cry for help.
So, I told my landlord
to call 9-1-1.
And me and my brother
assisted him out of the truck.
>> Judge Judy: That was him.
>> Yes.
>> Judge Judy: He was in a
truck.
>> Yes.
>> Judge Judy: Airbag exploded?
>> I didn't see the airbag.
>> Judge Judy: You didn't?
>> Nope.
I don't know if it went off
because his head hit the
windshield.
There was a big mark
where his head hit.
So I noticed he had head trauma.
So, I helped him
across the street and told him
to sit down 'cause I know
when you have head trauma,
you shouldn't be standing.
That's when my brother noticed
the damage to my Mustang.
I walked over and saw it.
And I then waited
for the police to arrive
so I could give my statement.
>> Judge Judy: May I see
pictures of the car?
>> Those first pictures
are the location.
And then the other pictures
are the actual damage.
>> Judge Judy: Well, you have
pictures of the woods,
where his truck ended up?
>> That's where his truck
ended up, yes.
>> Judge Judy: Now, may I see
the police report, please?
>> Yes, you may.
>> Judge Judy: Have insurance
when you were driving,
Mr. Ayres?
>> No, Your Honor.
>> Judge Judy: Did they suspend
your driver's license?
>> Yes.
>> Judge Judy: Well, you told
the police that
you swerved to avoid a deer.
>> Your Honor, I didn't remember
what had happened after
the impact of the airbag.
>> Judge Judy: Well, you didn't
tell that to the police.
You made up a story.
The story was, "He told me
he swerved to avoid a deer
and struck a parked car.
He told me that his truck
bounced off the side car
and continued across the street
into the woods.
I could smell the odor
of an intoxicating beverage
coming from Ayres' breath
when he spoke and noticed his
eyes were bloodshot and glassy.
I asked how much he had to
drink, and he said nothing.
I asked him again,
and he said one shot.
I asked him if he would be
willing to submit to testing
to determine his ability
to operate a motor vehicle,
and he told me
he wasn't gonna take any tests
and he was done talking."
That sounds all pretty coherent
to me.
for your medical bills.
You were driving drunk
without insurance.
>> Yeah.
>> Judge Judy: Yeah, I know.
Can I see the bill
for fixing your car?
When did you purchase the car,
Mr. Donovan?
>> Mid-September.
>> Judge Judy: And how much
did you pay for it?
>> Um...
>> Judge Judy: Don't give me
an "um."
>> Three thousand dollars.
>> Judge Judy: Judgement for
the plaintiff
in the amount of $3,000.
Thank you very much. We're done.
>> Byrd: Parties are excused.
You may step out.
>> I gave him a week to recover
from the initial crash
'cause I figured
he was probably in the hospital.
>> While I was heading home,
coming back from the store...
>> And I called him.
And he seemed pretty sorry.
>> ...he decided he was gonna
pull out in front of me
after I'd flicked my high beams
at him.
>> He said, "Just give me a week
to come up with the money.
And I'll pay you."
>> As he was leaving
the premises,
I swerved to avoid him...
>> So, I gave him the week
to come up with the money,
called him back again.
>> ...clipped his car
and the airbag went off.
>> And I don't know
if it was his father
or his brother answered
the phone.
>> He was trying to hustle me
for more money
than what the car was worth.
>> And he told me pretty much
stop calling, to contact his
lawyer.
>> And I found out
what his initial quote was.
And I said,
"That's it. No more."
>> Don't drive drunk.
>> Yeah, just watch out
for scammers.
They're all around.