FATAL SMASH

Evening Post, Volume CXII, Issue 50, 27 August 1931, Page 11

FATAL SMASH

CAR AND MOTOR-CYCLE

UNUSUAL GIRGUMSTANGES

■At au inquest at the Magistrate's Court to-day into the death of Norman Vernon Kjarj aged 18, a motor cyclist, who collided with a car driyen by -Frank H. W. Simpson on the main Hutt road on 2nd August and died in Hospital a few :Kours later, the. Coroner; Mr. I. Salek, J.P., returned a formal finding that the deceased had died from injuries received; :1 Frank Simpson, in' his evidence, said that when' ho was noariiig Nai Nai lane on Iris way back from Upper Hutt he , saw a motor-car approaching him. lie also' saw a motor-cycle, with one person on it, eoino out to, pass tho car. When ho saw that, the cyclist would not gct.baek to'liis correct side, witness pulled over to his; right-hand side. The deceased, could not get round his car, and struck it oii the, left-hand mudguard, tearing the cap off tho wheel aud breaking the handle of tho door and window. . ' •; ; ;.--•■. Tho deceased was not knocked off tho eycJo by the impact, but went on for' at least 50 ..yards aud ran into a brick wall, whicli ho 'struck, head on. Inhwitricss's opinion, the accident was cause.d^ by the motor-cyclist travelling too quickly, and trying to paSS. another cdr. AVitness ■ estimated ,the..'cyclist 's speed:at bet\ycou 40 and 50 niilCs per llOUl'. ■",,'.■, ,-.'. . - , V '-" '■■'■" ■ , . ■ ■':■ .'Constable B. Warren said "i hei was returning from Upper Hutt ,m%^ motortruck driven;. by, Charles., Stuiimand. Asjthcy, were approachiiig Lower Hutt the car driven by Simpson passed-him at a speed from •45 to 50 niiles per hour., -Witnesa saw a motor-cyclist approaching well on his correct' sido of the road. . ,-.;, .: -: . . ~;-- ---■>■'■■ TURNED TO WRONO SIDE. ,Simps6n's car passed witnessj,'.began to regain his. correct side of the road, and then .turned towards■' his- wrong side and went over onto the course of the motor-cycle. Tho car -vVent to within a short distance of tho ,edge of the .bitunicn .on the off side." and obscured the view of the .motoi-TcycleJ At this point thero was not sufficient room for tho cyclist;to,pass between the car and a post on tho.edge of the bitumen. Witness then saw the cyclist como into view on.the left: side of .the car .as though trying to clear it. on fhc wrong side. .The cyclist 'struck the left front of the car, but maintained'; 'fijs seat until lie collided with the,brick'wall. Cross-examined ,by Mr. O. 'C, Mazengarb, \yho appeared for the driver of the car, witness said ■ that before the collision the cyclist had not wobbled at any stage, but after- ho had hjlt the car he, appeared to lose control.' of tho machine.- Witness could not estimate the cyclist's speed ai; any time before or. after the collision. Dr. B. M. Collier said that', the doceased was -admitted to Wellington Hospital at; 5.30 p.m: on 2nd' August, and died at 9.45 p.m. In her opinionj death was due to. severe laceration of the .brain associated with fracture of tho skull. -.■'-.'