Woman sees death plunge

Press, 17 May 1989, Page 7

Woman sees death plunge

A woman saw her stolen car sink in the Heathcote River while the driver tried unsuccessfully to escape, the Christchurch Coroner, Mr Neil Mac Lean, was told yesterday. Mr Mac Lean was told that Philip Nigel Brendan Lapslie, aged 18, died in the accident on Cumnor Terrace about 7 p.m. on February 23 this year. "Inquiries revealed that Mr Lapslie unlawfully took a Cortina motor car from Ferry Road, Woolston, at about 6.40 p.m.,” said Constable Tony Bruce. "The owner of the vehicle, Mrs June Hines, was aware that the vehicle had been- stolen and drove around the immediate area in search of the car. “At about 7 p.m. Mrs Hines saw her stolen car being driven south along Cumnor Terrace and she followed the vehicle until she lost sight of it on a curve. “Upon rounding the curve she saw the Cortina car in the Heathcote River. A male occupant in the vehicle appeared to be kneeling on the driver’s seat making an unsuccessful attempt to escape. “The car drifted downstream and submerged in

the river.” A Christchurch pathologist, Dr Patrick Kelleher, carried out a post-mortem examination and considered that Mr Lapslie drowned. His alcohol level was found to be 202 milligrams per 100 millilitres of blood. Mr Mac Lean found that Mr Lapslie died on February 23 in Cumnor Terrace from drowning after the car plunged into the Heathcote River. FISHING ACCIDENT A Japanese seaman suffered fatal injuries when knocked into a winch by a large wave, Mr Mac Lean was told. Constable Bruce said Yutaka Furudate, aged 36, a deckhand, died in the accident aboard the Japanese fishing boat, Choko Maru No. 58, about 12.30 a.m. on February 8 this year. The ship was at sea off Akaroa. “He was winching in sea anchors on the bow of the vessel. Sea conditions were very rough at the time,” Constable Bruce said. “A large wave broke over the deck and knocked the deceased into the winch, killing him instantly.” Dr Leonard Treadgold told of a postmortem examination by

Dr John Pettit. Dr Pettit considered the death resulted from multiple traumatic injuries with massive haemorrhage. Mr Mac Lean found that Mr Furudate died from multiple injuries received in the accident aboard the ship off Akaroa on February 8. NARCOTIC POISONING A man, aged 42, died in Jollie Street, Christchurch, from narcotic poisoning, the Coroner found. Evidence was given that the police went to a Jollie Street address about 8 a.m. on December 4 where they found the body of Paul Teua. Constable Bruce said inquiries revealed Mr Teua had been drinking alcohol and taking pills the afternoon before his death. The pills had been bought some days earlier in a city hotel. Mr Teua went to bed that evening and was discovered dead the next morning. “A quantity of white tablets and capsules were found in the pockets of trousers worn by the deceased.” The Court heard of the post-mortem examination carried out by Dr Pettit. Analysis of blood and liver sample showed the

presence of Amitriptyline, Chlorpheniramine and ethanol. Dr Pettit considered death resulted from narcotic poisoning. HEART FAILURE A man taken to Christchurch Hospital after telling his flatmate he had taken tablets suffered heart failure while his stomach was being pumped. Mr Mac Lean was told that Paul Richard Perry, aged 19, was taken to the hospital in the early hours of November 16 last year. Constable Tony Bruce said a search of Mr Perry’s address was made and empty bottles of Nortriptyline tablets were found. The tablets had been prescribed for Mr Perry’s depression, Constable Bruce said. Inquiries showed Mr Perry had been admitted to hospital twice in the 18 months before his death - for overdoses of prescribed medicines. Dr Pettit’s post mortem indicated death resulted from Nortriptyline poisoning. The Coroner found that Mr Perry died at Christchurch Public Hospital on November 16 last year from Nortriptyline poisoning.