CORONER’S COURT Driver died in ditch at air base

Press, Volume CXII, Issue 33033, 28 September 1972, Page 19

CORONER’S COURT Driver died in ditch at air base

A man who drove his car . into a large ditch after at.l tending a function in the cor- ’ porals’ mess at the Royal New Zealand Air Force stai tion at Wigram on June 21 died as a result of a haemorrhage caused by a ruptured heart and laceration of the lung. This was the finding when the inquest into his death was concluded yesterday by the Christchurch district Coroner (Mr E. B. E. Taylor). He was Douglas Stuart Whitlock, aged 31. Evidence was given that a blood specimen contained 215 milligrams of alcohol per 100 millilitres of blood. Constable Michael William Moore said in evidence that Mr Whitlock had apparently driven along the main runway at considerable speed under the impression that he was on a road. The car was extensively damaged when it went into a ditch at the northern end of the runway. PEDESTRIAN KILLED Ronald Dale, aged 58, was

found to have died at Christchurch Hospital on March 20. The cause of death was pulmonary congestion as a result of multiple injuries. The injuries were suffered when Mr Dale was struck by a car driven by Gregory Charles Lamb, agea 18, an apprentice joiner, while he was crossing Stanmore Road on March 17. GUN-SHOT WOUND Frederick George Samuel Chapman. aged 78, died at Christchurch Hospital on July 13. The cause of death was a gun-shot wound of the skull. DROWNING Frederick Stanley Cole, aged 47, was found to have died at Lyttelton on June 18. The cause of death was asphyxia caused by accidental drowning. POISONING Judith Meryl Ross, aged 28. a married woman, died at Christchurch on July 2. The cause of death was poisoning from imipramine. SUICIDE John Greig McKinlay. aged 49. died at 21 George Street on June 22, having committed suicide. The cause of death was asphyxia caused by carbon monoxide poisoning. . „ Wilhelm Arthur Tritt, aged 63, died at 13 Shakespeare Road, on July 1. having committed suicide. The cause of death was asphyxia caused by hanging.