Fatal drive-way accident

Press, 8 December 1982, Page 10

Fatal drive-way accident

A baby girl was killed when she was run over in her drive-way by her uncle’s van, the District Coroner, Mr N. G. Hattaway, was told yesterday. Rennee Vaiola Simpson, aged 17 months, died of severe head injuries when the rear wheels of a truck ran over her at 40 Akaroa Street, Christchurch, on October 30, the Coroner found. Mr Vic Henry Tamati told the Court that he had been visiting the Simpsons with his wife and family when the accident happened. “I had commenced: to reverse my van out of the driveway. I had only started moving when I felt a bump and I knew I had run over something. I stopped and saw that the rear wheel had run over my niece,” Mr Tamati said. Rennee Simpson was standing on the doorstep of the house when Mr Tamati prepared to reverse out of the driveway. “Mr Tamati, I know that this has been a severe blow for you and your family, but you cannot blame yourself as it is one of those things that happen,” the Coroner said. LOGGING ACCIDENT A young man who was felling trees on a property at Gore Bay Road, Cheviot, was killed when a tree fell on him, the Coroner said. Francis Joseph Ratahi, aged 22, died of multiple injuries in Christchurch Hospital on May 31, the day he was injured. .The accident was investigated by the Department of Labour, and Eric Arthur Bennett, the logging contractor who Mr Ratahi was working for, was charged With failing to comply with Section Ila of the Bush Workers Act 1945 in that he carried out a bush undertaking in a manner which was likely to be dangerous to persons working in the area.

He was convicted and fined $4OO. SHOOTING Frederick Walter Bellas, aged 25, was found to have died from a gunshot wound to .the chest oat 116 Rowses Road on April 9. Detective Sergeant John Alexander Ell said that at 2 a.m. on April 9 the police were called to a house at 116 Rowses Road. In a back bedroom they found the body of Bellas. Police inquires showed that Bellas and Michael Campbell went to Rowses Road on Thursday, April 8, at 10.30 p.m. At 1.30 a.m. there was an argument between the two and Campbell shot Bellas in the right side of the chest with a 12-gauge shot gun. Campbell was present when the police arrived and admitted he had shot Bellas, but claimed it was an accident, Mr Ell said. Campbell was arrested and charged with murder but was found not guilty in the High Court. ELECTROCUTION The Coroner * found that Arthur Edward Barton, aged 76, of 2c Wainoni Road, suffered a fatal electric shock from a brass lamp holder at his home on October 23. Police Constable Brian Hugh said that Mr Barton had used an aluminium ladder to climb through a manhole in the ceiling to make repairs to the household water supply. “He was using an extension cord plugged into a socket in the laundry and was holding a brass lamp adaptor attached to the cord in his hand. “The power was turned on. “As he went through the manhole he must have touched the galvanised water pipe and received an electric shock,” Constable Hugh said. St John Ambulance men tried to resuscitate Mr Barton without success.

BLOOD POISONING Marjorie June O’Rorke. aged 47, died at her home at 4 Oldham Crescent, Halswell, on October 29, from streptococcal septicaemia (blood poisoning). Dr Hubert Douglas John Lovell-Smith said that Mrs O’Rorke, who had been a patient for 10 years, became ill during Labour week-end and called Dr Lucas, who was rostered for the weekend. She complained of vomiting and diarrhoea. “She rang me on the Tuesday and complained of pains in the abdomen. I told her to continue with the pills Dr Lucas had given her and to take some valium. “She complained of a sore leg but I had a quick look and could see nothing,” Dr Lovell-Smith said. On Wednesday, October 28, Mrs O’Rorke rang the doctor complaining of a sore and swollen leg. Dr Lovell-Smith had no spare time to see her but made an appointment for her to come to his surgery the next morning. The following day Mr O’Rorke phoned the surgery and requested the doctor to visit his wife instead of her coming in. Dr Lovell-Smith went about 12.45 p.m. but Mrs O’Rorke was dead when he arrived. Dr Lovell-Smith said she had a large blood blister on her right foot. MOTOR ACCIDENTS Nellika Fay Newth, aged 4, was found to have died from severe head injuries received when the car in which she was a passenger collided with another at the intersection of Brougham and Collins streets on March 31. Wayne Eric Flanagan, aged 19, was found to have died from head injuries received when he fell off his motor-cycle on Highway 75 near Cooptown on August 21. He had 127 milligrams of

alcohol to 100 millilitres of blood. HEAD WOUNDS Kevin John Anthony, aged 22, was found by the coroner to have died from gunshot wounds to the head at his home at 15 Ravenna Street, Christchurch, on October 28. “I am satisfied no-one else was involved but it is not clear whether he had attempted to take his own life,” the Coroner said. The autopsy report revealed Mr Anthony had 206 milligrams of alcohol to 100 millilitres of blood. SUICIDE A suicide verdict was entered for Elizabeth Ann Caldwell, aged 40.