PLUNGE INTO RIVER.

Auckland Star, Volume LXIX, Issue 209, 5 September 1938, Page 13

PLUNGE INTO RIVER.

TWO VEHICLES NEAR MERCER.

A remarkable escape from drowning was had by Mr. F. J. McAnulty, a butcher, of Pokeno, when the van he was driving left the main road near Mercer on Saturday afternoon and somersaulted into the Waikato River. Mr. McAnulty was driving towards Pokeno along the Great South Road, when he passed two cars, travelling in the opposite direction, a few chains south of the Maungatawhiri bridge. Leaving the road, the van made two complete turns over the bank before coming to rest on its side partially submerged in the river.

One of Mr. MoAmilty'e feet wae pinned by the door, so that he was imprisoned in the car until released when the vehicle was lifted. He was able to go home after first-aid treatment to his foot, and his car was later lifted from the river.

Shortly after the mishap to the van, a motor car plunged over the bank into the river about 200 yards further south, but nobody- was injured. Fortunately neither vehicle-entered the main stream, but fell into comparatively shallow flood-wat-r.