TREMENDOUS LEAP

Evening Post, Volume CXXIII, Issue 70, 24 March 1937, Page 11

TREMENDOUS LEAP

DRIVER IDENTIFIED

(By -Teleßi-aph—i?ress • Association.)

... :■; PALMERSTON, N;,\ This^Day.:' ■'• An examination: of'the scene oi> the motor fatality at Rahgiotu showed that the. car. -made "a tremendous leap, after. leaving the road. .It plunged through a-,fence.. alongside the" railway line, flattened but ah .upright-rail projection,' and- leapt. a;small:gap :.on to -the end of. the .'railway' bridge,•-. ; which ,:; runs' parallel some yards"'away from ./'the road.bridge. '.The car. then skidded 20 feet: along "the railway .bridge, jumped .off to the ..rough. hillocky ground- eight feet below,'and^nose-dived 25 feetover the.bank:at,the.edge.of the river,' strik-. ing 'near trie' base ■of '■'this''with,.; : : thebumpers.' -■ It ■■■ rebounded'; and.- somer-; saulted- nearly iacrdss : the river, landing upside, down. The.back of the;turret top' struck .the.ipilirigiof the; former railway bridge,: which: was three feet out .bf.',the water,'; ■. and : the vehicle settled .down, almost submerged. A sack of. potatbes. in vthe-luggage 'compartment ; was-hurled -across the river.- ;.

After ..several hours', work '.a-break-down gang got the car .out v . of ; the water.'' The •driver was found;across the rear. seat.. He was;identified as: Mr. Arthur Ernest • Sexton; middle-aged,; .with'a grown-up family.-". He;was'man7 ager of the . .Wilson^ Dalyrmple property "■'''at "Himatangi..,. The police :..be-, lieve* that there were no' other occupants.'"' .•■'■■'■ ;":"'"-'*;■:'.■■'{ ■'■•-'*~': y.T':i: •■>"•■'•;■.:' . The,: reason • assigned • for :the accident is that" the; driver Vfell? asleep, f;:,.. :