CHILD FATALLY HURT

Dominion, Volume 24, Issue 18, 16 October 1930, Page 13

CHILD FATALLY HURT

Knocked Down by Car DRIVER IN TROUBLE Dominion Special Service. Palmerston North, October 15. An indent agent, of Feilding, Charles John Dunbar Skinner, appeared in the Palmerston North Magistrate’s Court this morning before Messrs. S. Abraham and F. W. Aicher, J’s.P., on a charge of negligently driving a car so as to cause death. On the date in quesiton, said SeniorSergeant Whitehouse, a grader was working on the Himatangi—Sanson highway. Several small children were going along the road. The injured girl, Betty Francis Albrey, ran across from one side of the road, and when doing so was struck by Skinner’s car. She ultimately, died at the hospital as the result of injuries received. Gilbert Hope, who was employed on the grader, said that just before the child ran out on to the roadway he heard a car horn sound. After passing the grader the child ran out. Skinner pulled over to the right and struck the girl with left-ha.nd bumper. Senior-Sergeant Whitehouse: How far would it be from where the car struck the child to where it stopped? —“About 75 yards.” The senior-sergeant: What would you estimate the speed of the car to be when it struck the child? —“It appeared to me to be between 30 to 35 miles per hour.” The senior-sergeant: Did it slow down after passing the grader?—“lt did not appear to at all.” Did you see any skid marks or any other indications of the brakes having been applied?—“No, I did not.” Witness said that if the driver had continued to keep a straight course instead of swerving he would have passed behind the child. If his brakes were in good order he should have been able to stop his car .if he had applied his brakes when the child ran out. Edgar Lyttelton, also employed on the grader, gave evidence on. similar lines corroborating the previous witness’s statement regarding the speed of the car. The senior-sergeant: What is the width of the road? —“About 24 feet.’ Was there anything to stop the driver from seeing the child? —“No.” Accused was committed to the Supreme Court for trial, bail being allowed.