Brother And Sister Killed In Smash

Press, Volume CVI, Issue 31142, 19 August 1966, Page 1

Brother And Sister Killed In Smash

Two students, brother and sister from Auckland, were killed when a runaway truck collided head-on with a car on a steep hill near Long Bay, Banks Peninsula, yesterday afternoon.

A boy, aged 4. and a woman, aged 20, also in the car were injured, the boy seriously. The truck driver and his passenger were not hurt. Those killed were:

MAUREEN LOUISE CORCORAN, aged 20. a student at the Christchurch Teachers’ College: and HUGH RYEBURN CORCORAN, aged 18, a university student.

Those injured are: Julius Paal, aged 4, son of Mr and Mrs J. Paal. of 91 River road, Christchurch; and

Jocelyn White, aged 20, of Auckland, but staying at the same address.

Both were admitted to the Christchurch Hospital. Julius suffered head injuries, including a suspected fractured skull. His condition last night was reported to be only fair. Miss White suffered concussion and severe shock. Her condition last night was reported to be satisfactory.

The accident occurred about 3 p.m., on the Long Bay road, three miles east of the junction of that road and the Christchurch-Akaroa highway at Takamatua. The five-ton truck was being driven by Robin Arthur Inwood, aged 21, of Le Bons Bay. His father-in-law, Thomas Edward Johnston, aged 67. of Le Bons Bay, was a passenger. The truck was

carrying one ton of potatoes, and travelling down a hill towards Takamatua. Mr Inwood said that the brakes failed on the truck. He travelled down the hill for about a mile, negotiating three bends, and reached a speed

between 60 and 70 miles an hour.

He tried to negotiate a sharp, left-hand bend, but swung over to the wrong side of the road. The truck hit the car head on.

The impact wrecked the car and damaged the front of the truck to such an extent that the wheels locked. Both vehicles left the road and went through fences. The truck ploughed across a rolling paddock for 60 yards and skidded broadside into a tree at the head of a steep gully.

The crumpled car came to rest not far from the road after rolling over at least once.