FINED £25

Evening Post, Volume CXXV, Issue 146, 23 June 1938, Page 11

FINED £25

NEGLIGENT DRIVING

LOWER HUTT ACCIDENT

An accident in High Street had its sequel in the Lower Hutt Court today, when James' Thomas Casley was fined £25 and costs, and was disqualified from driving for two years, on a charge of negligent driving. He did not appear. Messrs. A. J. Gearing and C. E, J. Dowland, J.P.'s, were on the Bench. . Sergeant J. W. McHolm said that this case concerned an accident in High Street on May 14. The defendant was driving towards Upper Hutt when he swerved across the road and hit a motor-lorry and afterwards a cyclist, who was carried fifty feet and rather severely injured. When seen by the police the defendant showed signs of having had liquor. Constable Jones read a statement in which the defendant said he was a commercial traveller. At 5.47 p.m. on May 14 he was driving northwards, and shortly after.passing King's Crescent he met a lorry coming towards him A vehicle pulled out to pass the lorry, with the result that the defendant had to swerve and a collision occurred. His steering gear was put out of order. He had not had liquor since 1.30 p.m. - William John.Neman, a carrier, said that the defendant's car came straight at his lorry and hit him. There was no sign of any other vehicle. After hitting the cyclist the defendant went on into a fence. He smelt of liquor. - Walter George Jones,, a tally clerk, who was riding his bicycle from Masterton to Wellington, said that when the defendant swerved across and hit the lorry, he (witness) went into the gutter to try and get out of the way. He, did not remember anything after that. ..,..„, Sergeant McHolm said that Casley had previously been fined £10 and .disqualified from holding a licence for three months for being intoxicated in charge of a car.