Passenger in car killed

Press, Volume CXVI, Issue 34129, 15 April 1976, Page 11

Passenger in car killed

A 67-year-old woman died from injuries she suffered when the car in which she was a passenger was hit after proceeding through a stop sign, Mr P. L Molineaux, S.M., was told in the Magistrate’s Court yesterday.

Before the Court was he woman’s husband, John William Baughan, aged 72, a retired public service employee. He was convicted and disqualified from driving for six months on a charge of causing his wife’s death by carelessly using a car. He pleaded guilty. Sergeant A. R. Bleakley said that about 10 p.m. last Christmas Eve the defendant travelled south on Gloucester Street but failed to stop at a stop sign at the intersection with Woodham Road. There was a collision with another car travelling east on Woodham Road. Although the occupants of the second car suffered only

minor cuts and bruises the defendant’s wife was taken to hospital and died the following day from multiple injuries.

Sergeant Bleakley said that it had been raining heavily at the time of the accident and the defendant had later told the police that he had slowed right down, engaged a low gear and looked both ways. The defendant had not seen the headlights of the other car on his right until well into the intersection. He had admitted not having stopped. Counsel (Mr C K.. Steven) said that it had been a tragic death. The couple had been married 52 years and had 11 children. The defendant, who had mainly been employed as a chauffeur during 54 years of driving, had no traffic convictions. Mr Steven said that although Baughan had not actually stopped at the stop sign he had been moving very slowly, having changed into first gear.