CHASED AT 90 MILES AN HOUR

Press, Volume XCVII, Issue 28766, 11 December 1958, Page 20

CHASED AT 90 MILES AN HOUR

Imprisonment For Motor-Cyclist

(New Zealand Press Association) DUNEDIN, December 10. John Daniel Hitchcox, aged 21, was chased by traffic inspectors through city streets on Saturday night at speeds up to 90 miles an hour. In the Magistrate’s Court this morning, Mr J. D. Willis, S.M., sentenced him to one month’s imprisonment and cancelled his licence for five years. Traffic Inspector S. C. Gordon said that many complaints had been received about the behaviour of motor-cyclists on the Taieri road at night. On Saturday night traffic inspectors noticed a large group about 10 p.m. as they were passing Ashburn Hall. Hitchcox was the leader and his speed was then between 65 and 70 miles an hour. When chased by the patrol ear, he accelerated to between 85 and 90 miles an hour. In deep gravel Hitchcox came almost to a stop and the patrol car came abreast.With the patrol car slightly in front of him he suddenly executed a broadside and made a U-turn, spilling his pillion passenger on to the roadway; Having identified him, the traffic inspectors did not bother to chase him further, but went to the assistance of the girl, who was ly.ng shocked on the roadway. She was taken to hospital for treatment. Traffic Inspector Gordon said that the girl told the traffic inspectors that Hitchcox had known he was being chased, but had told her to shut tip when she had begged him to stop.