Dept. of Pub. Wks. v. Indus. Acc. Com.

This is a petition to review an award of damages which was rendered against the Highway Division of the Department of Public Works of the State of California pursuant to the Workmen's Compensation, Insurance and Safety Act, on account of the death of a laborer which occurred as the result of an automobile casualty. In January, 1932, Edward E. Dreyer was employed by the Department of Public Works of the State of California as a laborer to assist in clearing the highway of snow and debris in the vicinity of San Bernardino. Dreyer lived at Crestline. He was living separate and apart from the respondent Ruth Dreyer, who is his widow. She was partially *Page 129 dependent upon him for support pursuant to an agreement between them for a settlement of property rights. The laborers were required to report for work each morning at 7 o'clock at the Etiwanda tollhouse on the mountain highway about seven miles from San Bernardino. The employer's trucks left San Bernardino for the tollhouse at 6:30 A.M. Workmen were permitted to ride in these trucks free of charge. They were not required to travel this way. Several of them drove their own cars to the tollhouse, where some of the private…