Charge After Death Of Pedestrian

Press, Volume CVI, Issue 31190, 14 October 1966, Page 12

Charge After Death Of Pedestrian

After 12 of the 18 prosecution witnesses had been heard in the Magistrate’s Court yesterday on a charge against Herbert Walter Reardon, also known as John William Peters, aged 24, a carpenter, of careless driving causing the death of Victor Dane Tutauha, aged 18, Mr K. H. J. Headifen, S.M., adjourned the case until Tuesday.

Reardon, who pleaded not guilty, is represented by Mr D. H. Stringer.

Reardon pleaded guilty to charges of failing to stop after an accident, failing to ascertain whether anyone was injured, and failing to report an accident. The offences occurred in Victoria street early on Sunday, September 18.

Norman Patrick Alcorn, a Government analyst, said that a flake of paint taken from the car alleged to have been driven by Reardon showed that nine coats of paint had been applied to the car. A flake of paint found in Tutauha’s clothes had nine thicknesses of paint in the same colours and order as that taken from the car. Statement To Police

Constable J. Stephen, of Wellington, said he took a statement from the accused in Wellington. Reardon said he had borrowed a friend’s car at a party to drive to another party. He was driving down Victoria street when he noticed a Jaguar car in front This car slowed or almost stopped, and pulled into the kerb. “I pulled out to pass the Jaguar, and I do not know if I speeded up or slowed down I cannot say at what speeri I was travelling at that time I had to pull out to pass the Jaguar,” Reardon said. “I think I was about level with the front of the Jaguar when I hit the man with the right front of the car. I did not see the man before hitting him, but I had been looking straight ahead,” said the statement. Reardon said that he braked momentarily and then panicked and drove off. He had been at the first party for two or three hours and had had a couple of glasses of wine. He might have had a beer also, but he doubted it. Reardon said that in Wellington he read that the pedestrian had died, and he went to the Wellington police. Sam Altman, a student at the University of Canterbury, said that on Saturday, September 17. he took to a party what he thought was a halfgallon of port wine. The accused was at the party and drank some of the wine. The witness said he was in the car Reardon was driving. Earlier the car was being driven a bit fast, and he told Reardon to slow down. Reardon did so. As they were passing the Jaguar car, which he thought was slowing, there was a thump, and he thought they had hit something. The car then accelerated. Reardon had been drinking, but he did not seem to show it. To Mr Stringer, the witness said he did not see the pedestrian. Driver’s Evidence David Hugh Ormandy, the bar manager of the New Railway Hotel, said that he was driving north in Victoria street in the Jaguar. A car behind was catching up. A man on the footpath outside Regent Furnishers, Ltd., walked out in front of him when he was about 30ft away, and he took his foot off the accelerator to allow the pedestrian to get across the road comfortably. The pedestrian

was walking at a leisurely pace. The car behind pulled out to pass him. It was travelling at least 35 miles an hour. He heard a thud and breaking glass and rulled over to the side of the road.

Ormandy said a number of persons arrived on the scene, and he drove off to try to get the number of the other car. but was unable to find it To Mr Stringer the witness said that he did not have to brake. He agreed that his speed might have been less than 35 miles an hour. The pedestrian did not appear to notice the car driven by the accused, nor did the pedestrian look to the right or left as he crossed the road.