Eight hurt when vehicle rolls over

Press, 27 August 1977, Page 1

Eight hurt when vehicle rolls over

Eig 1 persons were injured yesterday when their utility vehicle slid and rolled 50m down a scree slope on the Broken River Basin ski-field road near Craigieburn. In a separate accident nearby on the Castle Hill straight, two persons ./ere injured in a head-on collision.

The occupants of the utility vehicle were spilled out as it rolled over down the mountainside before coming to rest against a tree. The driver, Dr A. G. Smith, of Wellington, ended up 150 m down the slope.

The accident occurred near the top of the ski road. It was snowing at the time on a base of icy snow. Bruised and shocked, one of the occupants, Dr J. R. E. Dobson, of Christchurch, walked back down th ski road to a hut staffed by the Forest Service and raised the alarm.

The Malvern volunteer ambulance, based at Darfield, was alerted and soon after, about 11.10 a.m., an ambulance set out from Christchurch.

Recovery of the injured persons took some time. They were taken down the road to the waiting ambulances by several four-wheel-drive vehicles. Two injured were taken to Christchurch by the Darfield ambulance which was first at the scene, and the other six were taken by the

Christchurch ambulance, which transferred three persons to a third ambulance near Porter’s Pass.

Dr L. Strang, of Darfield, as well as a doctor from the Christchurch St John Ambulance medical accident team attended. Six persons were treated and discharged at the Christchurch Hospital and the driver. Dr Smith and his wife, of 76 Main Road, Wellington, were admitted to Burwood Hospital. Their condition late last evening was given as comfortable. The others involved in the accident are Mr J. P. Burton, of 79 Spa Road, Taupo; Mr D. W. and Miss R. J. Bradshaw, of 393 Karori Road, Wellington; and Messrs P. and T. P. Steel, of 50 Braithwaite Street, Karori, Wellington. The persons injured in the head-on collison on the Main West Coast Road at the western end of the Castle Hill straight were taken to hospital by a traffic officer who attended the scene.

The accident occurred about 11.30 p.m. Mrs R. Colebourne, of 829 Hills Road, Christchurch was admitted to Burwood Hospital with head lacerations. Her condition was not available late last evening.

Mr V. M. Coleboume, suffered chest injuries and was treated and discharged.