MYSTERY CRASH

Dominion, Volume 24, Issue 147, 18 March 1931, Page 10

MYSTERY CRASH

Stolen Car and Train NO EXPLANATIONS Abandonment of Vehicle About an hour and a half after it had been stolen from the city yesterday afternoon, a motor-car collided at a crossing north of Paekakariki with the south-bound express from New Plymouth. It is stated that an occupant of the car disappeared over a nearby hill immediately after the accident, and returned later saying that he was one of three in the car, and had been given a lift. The affair was described as “a bit of a mystery” by a Paekariki resident last evening. The collision occurred at McKay’s crossing, north of Paekakariki, just after 5 p.m., and the car struck the second coach on the train. When the train had come to a standstill, its crew returned to find out how the car had fared. It is alleged that a man got out of the car before the railwaymen reached it, and went off in another direction without waiting to make any explanation. The front of the car was badly damaged. The train resumed its journey, and the damaged carriage was put off at Paekakariki, delays resulting in the express reaching Wellington at 6.29 pun. instead of 6.3 p.m. Subsequently it was reported that tha man had returned to Paekakariki about an hour later, given his name, and said that he had been given a lift by two other people in the car. Later still it was reported to the railway authorities that tha car had the same description and number, 77—133, as a car belonging to Mr. William Howard Tilley, of 17 Queen Street, Wellington, which had been stolen from outside Osborn’s, in Courtenay Place, about 3.40 p.m. Letters addressed to Mr. Tilley, which had been found previously in the back of the car, clinched tha matter. It was understood at Paekakariki last •evening that the only eye-witness of the accident, a small boy named Evans, had seen only one person in the car, who had disappeared over a hill behind Mr. A. E. Smith’s residence. The man left for Wellington on a train which arrived lata last evening, and is understood to have been met by detectives at Johnsonville. Paekakariki is 27 miles from Wellington-