INQUEST INTO DRIVER S DEATH

Press, Volume C, Issue 29466, 18 March 1961, Page 13

INQUEST INTO DRIVER S DEATH

Westport Accident On New Year’s Eve (From Our Own Re-porter) WESTPORT, March 16. At the inquest today into the death of Richard John Winston Tossell, aged 20 years, single, a panel beater, of Christchurch, who died after a road accident at Westport on January 1, the Coroner (Mr J. Dellaca) found that he had died in the Buller Hospital as the result of extensive internal haemorrhage caused by a ruptured liver. The injuries were sustained in a motor accident when a vehicle driven by him collided with another on the West-port-Cape Foulwind highway at 2.50 a.m. The evidence of Graham A. Meachem, 17 years, of Christchurch, a passenger iff Tossell’s truck, showed that after being in towp since 5.30 p.m., they gone to a country hotel about midnighfi They'l eft the hotel about 2,36 a.m. and then picked lip another ChristchurCh man, Edward G. W. Perfect. Tossell appeared to be reasonably sober, and drove towards Carters Beach. Edward G. W. Perfect, single, of Christchurch, said Tossell was driving at 50 miles an hour when approaching the bridge. His driving was all right, but witness saw that he was not making the turn to the bridge. He called to Tossell to turn to the left, and he swung the wheel, but the truck skidded on the shingle. It then straightened up. but appeared to be more on the wrong side than before. Tossell swung the wheel again as a truck was approaching on its correct side of the road, but the truck was struck a glancing blow. Raymond P. Perkins, motor driver, of WestpOrt, said he was driving his truck towards Westport on the night in question, with his wife and Mr G. Donaldson as passenger. He approached Martins bridge at 25 miles an hour and saw a truck with only one headlight working coming on its incorrect side of the road. Witness said that he then drove his truck off the road on to the shingle and his lights could not have dazzled Tossell.