SPEEDING CAR

Auckland Star, Volume LXIII, Issue 134, 8 June 1932, Page 8

SPEEDING CAR

CRASH OVER BRIDGE, SEQUEL TO POLICE CHASI; OWNER FINED £25.

The sensational accident which ot eurred about 10.45 on the night of Marcl, 24 last, when a baby car overturned ok the traffic bridge on the waterfront road Parnell, crashed through the rails and' fell below on to the railway li nc seriously injuring the driver, was re! called at the Police Court this mornint when Ernest G. Potter, was charged with being, intoxicated while in chargi of a motor car, and also with dangerous driving.

Potter pleaded not guilty. Con. stable Johnstone said he was ok duty in Fort Street at 10.35 p.m. o ii March 24 last, when his attention wai attracted to two men, one of whom was very drunk. He recognised this man a$ Potter. Potter nearly fell throu"!j Fowlds' window. His companion was sober and caught hold of him by th<i arm. Potter was drunk enough to lock up, but as witness thought that it was a case of the sober man taking the drunk man away, he went on his beat. Both men later passed him. Thev appeared to be arguing. "I. had not gout far when I heard a motor car starting up," said the constable. "I looked round and saw the sober man walkins away. The baby car started off in a succession of jerks. Realising that Potter was in the car I got on board z taxi and instructed the driver of the tax! to go on and try and head the baby car off. I got on the running board of the taxi and further along we came level with the car. I called to Potter to stop,. but he swung his car over and wen! along Gore Street on the wrong side of the road, cutting the corner and just missing # big bus. He then went along Customs Street at a fast bat and continued along Breakwater Road on hi; wrong side, narrowly missing two mci? on cycles. The car went over on two wheels, straightened up again and spec" along the Waterfront Road steerin" ai erratic course.

A "Crazy Speed." "On approaching the ramp to the overhead railway bridge it was going at a crazy speed. The car rolled over two or three times, went over the bridge and was badly smashed. I found Pottolying on the scoria near the railway line, badly injured. We were travelling at 4G miles per hour in the taxi and he w,u leaving us. The road was greasy. The driver, I thought, was either mad oi drunk." Counsel subjected the constable to s, long cross-examination. Witness admit ted that he did not see Potter get into the car in Fort Street. Similar evidence was given by tlit taxi driver, who said he assisted to pick defendant up. Defendant's breath smelt of liquor. He was going too fast to take the bridge properly. Evidence was also given by a railway driver who was on a cycle near the bridge, and had to get out of the way ol the car; and also by a motor cyclist, who said the car driven by Potter was going at a very fast speed before it crashed through the bridge. Counsel pointed out that a baby cat always gave the impression that it was travelling at a faster speed than it actually was going. He submitted that the constable did not see Potter get into the car. It was evidently a case of mistaken identity, and the constable had got defendant mixed up with some other man who was intoxicated in Fort Street. Evidence would be called to show that defendant was sober. Dr. Kenneth McCormick, surgeon, said Mr. Potter was in his ward at the hospital. He saw him the morning after the accident. Questioned regarding the odour of alcohol, witness said that this taken by itself was a very fallacious sign. Bridge a Danger Spot. The odour caused by a combination of whisky and beer was notorious, and the effects of alcohol were accentuated by injury. Certain physical changes occurred, due either to gases in the stomach, deep breathing, etc. It was a well known fact that a man might have liquor and the odour would not be apparent until after an accident. Dr. McCormick said he knew the bridge in question and he regarded it as a danger spot. There was no background, and he himself, when driving over the bridge at night had often paused. It badly needed improving. Defendant in evidence denied that he was intoxicated. He said he had two whiskies and one beer after leaving his office on the. evening in question. That was about 5.30. He afterwards drove home to dinner and met a client in the city when a business deal was discussed. He did not take any liquor after dinner. After leaving his client at the Post Office at 10 p.m. he walked to Commerce Street, got in his car and went to drive home. He did not see Constable Johnstone and received no signal to stop. He was not in Port Street on his feet between 10 and 11 p.m. that night. The visibility was poor and he considered he misjudged the turning on to the bridge and struck the rails. His speed he estimated at not more than 35 miles per hour along Breakwater Road. Defendant said he was laid up for six weeks as the result of the accident. Hi» car was damaged to the extent of £70. He was emphatic that he was sober. Cross-examined, Potter said it was difficult to understand the evidence given by the constable and others. Such a speed as stated was not possible with his small car. Mr. F. K. Hunt said he was satisfied with the evidence given for the prosecution, especially with the detailed evidence given by Constable Johnstone and the taxi driver. Potter would be convicted and fined £25. His license would be cancelled for six months.