U-Haul Co. of East Bay v. State Farm Mutual Automobile Insurance Co.

FERREN, Associate Judge:

At a bench trial in Small Claims Court, the judge found defendant-appellant, U-Haul Company of East Bay, Inc., liable for $450.13 in damages caused by a U-Haul truck to an automobile owned by Robert Watkins and insured by plaintiff-appellee. Appellant contends that it should not be held liable as an “owner” of the vehicle under the Motor Vehicle Safety Responsibility Act, D.C.Code § 40-408 (1990 Repl.). We affirm.

Before trial, the parties stipulated to most of the facts. Herbert Gaines rented a U-Haul truck, which struck the legally parked car of Robert Watkins on July…