Driver failed to stop after vehicle struck cyclist

Press, 27 June 1987, Page 4

Driver failed to stop after vehicle struck cyclist

- A woman whose vehicle struck a cyclist, aged 17, in Colombo Street, left him lying unconscious on the road and drove on for a further 122 metres with his cycle enmeshed under her car, said Sergeant John Dwyer in the District Court yesterday. Perry Michelle Harrison, aged 19 (Mr M. J. Glue), was convicted by Judge Sheehan on charges of causing bodily injury to Andrew Paul Menary, by carelessly using a car, failing to stop after an accident, failing to ascertain whether anyone had been injured, and failing to render all practical assistance. She was remanded, ait large, to July 17 for sentence. Sergeant Dwyer said the victim, a university student, was .hospitalised for a month. He is unlikely to fully regain his memory and now suffers a speech defect. The accident took place at 2.40 a.m. on March 5. Harrison was driving south on Colombo Street when her vehicle hit the cyclist. On impact he was thrown up into the windscreen and over the top of the car. He was left lying unconscious on the road, said Sergeant Dwyer. Harrison, a first offender, did not stop but drove on for about 122 m with the victim’s cycle being dragged along under her car.

After stopping, the defendant ran off. Two and a half hours later she arrived at the police station with her father. She said she had looked back after feeling a bump and thought it was a motor-cycle lying on the road.

The victim suffered multiple fractures of both legs, fractures of the skull, and internal injuries.

The bicycle had lights front and rear, and the rider had a reflector on his legs. Although Harrison told the police she had earlier been drinking with friends, she returned a negative blood alcohol test, said Sergeant Dwyer. INDECENCY CHARGE

Interim suppression of name was refused for a man, aged 43, charged with attempting to commit an indecency with a calf at Rangiora on June 6. Owen Robert Johnson, a mechanic, was remanded, without plea, to July 10. Interim suppression of his name, "because of the nature of the charge,” was sought by a duty solicitor, Mr S. Flood. It was refused by Judge Sheehan who said such grounds were insufficient to warrant such an order. DRUG CHARGE On a charge of importing cannabis resin into New Zealand at Auckland on June 9, William Burke Philips, aged 21, a seaman, was remanded in custody to July 3.

He did not plead. NINE-MONTHS PRISON Two men earlier convicted after a trial in Timarii of possessing cannabis for sale or supply, and cultivating the drug, were each sent to prison for nine months. Brent William Strachan, aged 31, a musician, and Andrew Grant, aged 26, a carpenter (Mr R. Eagles), committed the offences in the Queenstown area in January. Judge Sheehan said it seemed a tragedy that two such persons of excellent backgrounds and who were held in high regard should be appearing before the Court on any charge of criminal behaviour. He said the matter of sentencing had taxed him considerably.

Found in the defendants’ possession had been 23 cannabis plants, well maintained and hidden, and eight pounds of dried cannabis material which, according to the police, had a street value of $BOOO, said Mr P. Shamy, for the Crown.

Anything other than a custodial sentence would be inappropriate, he said. To suggest that the possession of 23 plants and eight pounds of cannabis was for their own use was stretching credibility to the limit, said Mr Shamy. An application by Mr Shamy for confiscation of Grant’s utility vehicle was declined by the Judge.