MOTORIST IN TROUBLE

Dominion, Volume 22, Issue 262, 1 August 1929, Page 3

MOTORIST IN TROUBLE

ACCIDENT ON HUTT ROAD COMMITTED FOR SENTENCE A motor collision on the Hutt Road on the evening of Sunday, July: 21, as a result of which a motor-cyclist, Charles Edward Warr, was seriously injured, resulted in a salesman, Nathaniel John Reid, aged 41, appearing in the Magistrate’s Court yesterday charged “that while in a state of intoxication he drove in a car, and by an act or omission in relation thereto caused bodily, injury to Warr.” Mr. E. Page, S.M., was on the Bench, Sub-Inspector Lander prosecuted for the police, and Mr. P. Jackson represented accused. John George Hay, . a carpenter ' ♦unployed by the Post and Telegraph Department, -said his attention was drawn to the erratic course of a car in front ,of him on the Hutt Road on the evening of July 21. He speeded up and attempted to pass, but the car ahead speeded up. also. The car in front later swerved to its wrong side and, collided with a motor-cycle. The visibility was good. After the accident witness noticed that the driver of the car was unsteady on his feet. He did not think that accused was fit to be in charge of a car and. considered that he was under the influence of liquor. ; Cross-examined by Mr. Jackson, witness said It had been raining during the day and that the bitumen was wet at the time of the accident. Corroborative evidence was given. Dr. D. Stout, who has been attending Warr at the hospital, said Warr had, on admission on July 21, two lacerated wounds of the left leg with severe fractures .of both bones of the leg. His con dition constituted a very severe Injury which meant Warr A would be incapacitated for at least six months. The injuries would also leave Warr with some permanent disability It could not be told yet. however, what permanent disability would occur. although it would possibly be associated with, shortness of the leg. Mr. Jackson said that accused was a stranger to Wellington, his place of business being at Otaki. Accused’s story was that he- had no drink on the day of the accident. At the time of the collision It was wet and windy. Accused stated that siome cigarette ash flew in his eye. and tem ■ porarily blinded. him. and that It was while wiping hip eye with his-hand that the accident happened. Mr. Jackson ask ed the Magistrate if .ho proposed to oom init accused for trial. ... .. Mr Pago: In view of the volume of evidence against accused. Mr Jackson. I could hardly do anything else. “The position.” said counsel, “is that if accused pleads not guilty he will have to wait throe months because, he' cannot got bail.”\ Mr. Jackson explained .that the car did not belong to accused, but to his employers. Accused, he said, was -a married man with one child. Though a friend did go bail when accused was first remanded. there seemed little prospect of getting bail again. Accused frad a severe war injury to his head and his story was that he had been thrown forward and struck the steering-wheel, nnd that the blow partially stunned him and affected his old. war injury.. Accused was a re- ' turned sold’er and achieved the rank of cantain in the Exnedltionarv Forces. ' “If Your Worshin savs this man is to go to trial he can’t wait thme months in cpsfodv and then nrobnbly bo nnni®h°d. ndd n d counsel “He ' woiPd rather take the bull by th** horns, nnd Intoxicated or not nload guiltv ” Asked how ho wished to plead accused renijed “gni’ty ” , ■ • The Magistrate committed accused to the Supreme Court for sentence.