Arkansas State Highway Commission v. Arkansas River Co.

HANSEN, Circuit Judge.

The Arkansas State Highway Commission (Commission) initiated this maritime action to recover the expenses it incurred in repairing the bridge that spans the Mississippi River at Helena, Arkansas. The bridge was damaged when the Arkansas River Co.’s pushboat, the M/V James R. Hines {Hines), rammed a dragline barge into the underside of the bridge. Following a bench trial, the district court 1 found that the Arkansas River Co. was liable to the Commission for the damage to the bridge. The district court further found that the Arkansas River Co. was entitled to 100%…