MAN COMMITTED FOR TRIAL

Press, Volume LXXXVI, Issue 26031, 7 February 1950, Page 3

MAN COMMITTED FOR TRIAL

ALLEGED NEGLIGENT DRIVING

FATAL ACCIDENT ON NORTH ROAD

After the evidence for the prosecution had been heard in the Magistrate’s Court yesterday, Peter Scott Turner, aged 62, an electrical engineer, pleaded not guilty to a charge that on November 17, 1949, at Woodend, he negligently drove a motor-car on the Main North road, thereby causing injury to Clara May Burrowes. Mr Raymond Ferner. S.M., committed Turner to the Supreme Court for trial and allowed him bail on his Own recognisance of £lOO and one surety of £lOO.

The inquest into the death of Mrs Burrowes was completed at the same time as the hearing of the charge. The Coroner returned a verdict that Mrs Burl-owes died on November 17, 1949, from traumatic shock resulting from multiple severe injuries received when she was struck by a motor-car driven by Peter Scott Turner. Senior-Sergeant J. J. Kearns conducted the case for the police, and Mr E. M. Hay appeared for Turner. The case was partly heard on January 25, and adjourned until yesterday. Daphne May Baken. a clerk, giving evidence yesterday, said she was in Christchurch with Mrs Burrowes on the forenoon of November 17. They parted about 2 p.m., when Mrs Burrowes said she was catching a bus to Kaiapoi, where she intended shopping on her way home. Mrs Burrowes appeared to be in good health. Her hearing was good. Albert William Cosgrove, a taxi proprietor, of Kaiajpoi, said a woman engrged him to drive her to Woodend on the afternoon of November 17. She asked him to stop and let her out at “Pine Acre,” about a mile and a half north of Kaiapoi, and she would walk across the paddock. Immediately on his return to Kaiapoi he heard there had been a fatal accident at that place. John Francis Johnson, a launch driver, of Sumner, said“he was driving his car along the Main North road towards Christchurch on November 17. Shortly after 4 p.m., about two miles north of Kaiaooi, he saw a cloud of dust about half a mile ahead, and then he saw a car in it. This other car stopped, and witness stopped his car about 50 yards away. The accused got out of the other car, came towards witness, and said: “There is a woman around here somewhere.” They searched and found a woman lying in a dry ditch at the side of the road. She appeared to be alive, and witness put a cushion under her head and a rug over her. She died before the police arrived. The accused told witness he did not know what had happened. He also said he saw a woman standing on the side of the road, but did not know what happened after that. His car seemed to get out of control. William Clarke Edward, a senior vehicle examiner for the Christchurch City Council, said he examined a car on November 25. . The radiator was damaged. The steering mechanism was in good order, and there was nothing about it which would make the car veer to the left. The brakes were in good order.

Constable J. J. Highsted, of Kaiapoi, said that' he went to the scene of the accident about 4.20 p.m., and saw Mrs Burrowes lying in a deep, dry ditch. She appeared to be dead. She lived at “Pine Acre,” near where she was found. The accused told witness he did not know whether he had a blackout or had gone to sleep. He knew he had knocked over a letter-box after running off the road. He then saw a standing in front of his car at the side of the road, but was unable to stop the car before it hit her. He said his foot might have slipped on to the accelerator. Sergeant J. B. Kearton, official police photographer, produced photographs of the scene of the accident and of the car. That concluded the evidence. Mr Hay submitted that the police case fell short of showing negligence, and should be dismissed.

The Magistrate said he thought, on the evidence, there was a case to answer, and the accused must stand his trial.