DROVE TOO FAST

Dominion, Volume 19, Issue 313, 30 September 1926, Page 6

DROVE TOO FAST

AUCKLAND MOTORIST PUNISHED MAGISTRATE DESCRIBES SERIOUS SMASH By Telegraph.—Pres' Association. Auckland, September 29. Au echo of a serious motor smash which occurred in Victoria Crescent, Newmarket, on August 3, was heard today in tlie Magistrate’s Court, when Robert Rennie was charged with having driven a motor-car at a dangerous speed. He' pleaded not guilty, and conducted his own case.

The first witness for the. prosecution was W. R. McKean, S.M., who stated that about 5.5 o'clock on the evening in question he was driving along Broadway towards the city. When about 60 or 70 yards from Victoria Crescent his attention was attracted by the exhaust note of a motor-car that was some distance behind A few seconds later a wine-coloured single seater six-cyclinder car (the one driven lr\ accused) flashed past witness’s car. Wit uess was travelling at 23 miles an hour and he estimated that the speed of accused’s car was 40 miles per hour. There was a grey coloured car just about to make a turn from Victoria Crescent into Broadway. The first car's brakes were applied, but it swerved and struck the rear right-hand wheel .of the other, completely turning the latter round in the opposite direction. The driver of the second car was thrown out. a distance of about 20 feet, and witness thought he was killed. He was seriously injured, and was bleeding profuselv. The first car charged across the road, mounted the kerb and crashed into an iron fence, a distance of 72 feet away. Had accused driven at a reasonable speed, witness said that he must have seen the other car After other witnesses had given similar evidence, accused went into the witness box. He stated that there were three other young men in the car with iTim at the time, but there was rdentv of room in the car. He saw another car in front when he was in Broadwav. and this he passed. He was in second gear at the time. The other car cut in front of him and the driver did not put out his hand He did his best to avoid it, and applied his brakes hard. Accused considered that his speed was not more than 20 miles an hour. Witness took the driver of the other car to the hospital. Senior-Sergeant Edwards: And vet the old gentleman who was driving the other car was thrown out a distance of Q 0 feet ? Accused: I can’t see how that happened, for mv car was onlv slightly damaged. Only one mudguard was bent. The Magistrate (Mr. Hunt) : Well the old gentleman was sent to the hospital seriously injured, and I believe he has los this hearing permanently. Three other men who were, in accused’s car gave evidence similar to that given by Rennie. Mr Hunt said that Rennie was going too fast in that part of the city, and he should have had a good view of the other car A man had been injur ed, and had lain in hospital in pain for some time, just because of Rennie’s desire to rush into town Rennie would be fined £5 and costs £1 175., and his license would be endorsed.