MOTOR FATALITY

Ashburton Guardian, Volume XLVIII, Issue 10984, 2 August 1927, Page 6

MOTOR FATALITY

DEATH OF A BOY. VERDICT BY THE CORONER. QUESTION OF AVOIDABILITY. (Our Own Reporter.) GERALDINE, This Day. The inquest into the motor fatality at Geraldine on July 13 was concluded by the District Coroner (Mr C. R. Orr Walker, S.M.) yesterday. The Coroner delivered the followin"- verdict: "The deceased, David South, died on July 14, .1927 from paralvsis of the respiration followin"- haemorrhage of the base of the skull The injuries suffered by aeceased were the result of his having been run into on his bic.ycleby a car driven bv John Thomas Tilson. The evidence put before me does not "indicate that the collision was unavoidable. 1 prefer to leave it at that, in view of contemplated further proceedings."

John South, farmer, Geraldine, said 4hat about 7.20 on July 13, he received a message from Dr. 1 aterson.Vho told him there had been a serious accident at Templar's Corner. Witness went straight to the hospital, where, he could not get in, so'he went to the police station. The first he saw was Thomas TUson, leaning against his car Witness said he must have driven fast Tilson said the car was new and he had never driven it over 15 miles an hour. Tilson said lie was on his right side and witness asked how. the bod y came to be on the opposite side. Tilson said that the boy had evidently ridden across the road before tailing oft. He had no-idea the boy was on the road. Witness wen* to look in the car, btit Tilson pushed deponent away, and said he had a load of bacon. Witness later had a look in the ear and found! a keg, in which .Tilson said there were live a-allons of beer, and also a case of bottles Tilson smelt very much of liquor, and was obviously under the influence of liquor. Witness would not say that Tilson was drunk. At the scene of the accident witness saw the position of the bicvcle. The back wheel of the bicycle ■would not go round, and the right hand pedal was missing. . To Mr Tracer witness said that no lamp belonging'to his nephew's bicycle was found. Big pieces of glass were found where the blood was, the piecesigradually becoming smaller further John Thomas Tilson, farmer, Hinds, said that on day in question he started from Hinds for Temuka in a car with Edward and John McDowell, about 10 a.m. He corroborated McDowell's evidence in regard to the. trip and what happened at Temuka. ( . t W'tness at this point claimed the privilege of retiring, on the grounds that further evidence might incriminate Constable Oallanan. of Geraldine, said that on Julv 13 he received a telephone message and met. Tilson and Edward Mel) well. Ho was informed by Tilson that iie had had an accident north of Geraldine. Tilson stated that someone Jiad run into him. The three proceeded rfco the scene of the accident, which was mear Cain's Road, and found a youth in a pool of blood ofc, left side of the road. After examining the boy, who was in a serious condition, witness immediately sent for a doctor. John McDowell, who was left in charge of the injured! ylouth, was noticeably under the influence ot liqucv. After the injured lad was taken -to the hospital witness vnth two others exannned the road, where they found and blood and the mark of a bicySe. Witness examined the ibicycle and fonnd that the right hand pedal had beer knocked oft" and the two wheels buckled. Witness was driven back to the p dice station by Tilson, with John McDowell, and Edward McDowell, who came to-the station from the hospital. 411 ive their explanations. \\ rtness examined the car and found a dent on the mudguard and a broken windscreen The contents of the car consisted of a case of bottles of beer which 'Tils- claimed, aaid a five gallon keg .'of beer, which J> McDowell claimed. Wl: i witness first met Tilson and HAwar McDowell he took particular notic, >1 : them. He could smell liquor on Til and would say he was slightly rund r the influence of liquor, although lie -ild not-say Tilson was mtoxicat In witness's opinion Tilson was qui capable of driving a car. ahe otL man was iperfectly sober. «,rtne— >ad taken measurements at the see • ->f the accident and had made up T . Mr Tracey witness said the mark of -1 e "bicycle appeared to be just a T , the Oononer. Constable Callanan sai ; that further pioceedmgs were coi hi plated.