PINNED UNDER CAR

Evening Star, Issue 23113, 12 November 1938, Page 17

PINNED UNDER CAR

FATALITY ON PISWOT BRIVER LOSER COMTML While driving a motor car on a down' grade near the Pigroot bridge yesterday morning Alan Trevor Spinks, ag;ed 21, who lived at 40 Waterloo Dunedin, lost control of the vehicle, which plunged over a bank into the Shag River. Spinks was thrown out of the car, but was pinned beneath it in the river although his two companions, Charles Frederick Algie and Mervyh James M'Kenzie, estaped injury. The three men were driving to Dunedin from the Public Works camp at Makarora and. about 8.45 yesterday morning were approaching the Pigroot bridge, about _29 .'miles . from Palmerston. When nearing a bend in the road the car ; apparently became'out of control and plunged over a bank about Soft into the Shag River, Spinks, who was driving, was thrown out of the car, but when it somersaulted down the, bank he .was pinned under it in the river. Attempts by the two passengers to release him were unavailing and later aid was obtained from a passing car. „ The young man was then dead. The police at Palmerston were notified, and with the additional assistance obtained, the body was taken to Palmerston and brought'to Dunedin .last night. INQUEST OPENED, Ah inquest oh'the body of Spinks jwas opened this morning before Mr H. W* Bundle, S.M., coroner. Sergeant Cooper conducted the proceedings for the police. - After hearing evidence the inquest was adjourned sine die. ■ Allen Trevor Spinks, father'of the deceased, said that- his son was employed at the Public Works' camp at Haast Pass. ' He understood that the deceased had purchased a motor car of the model he was driving at the time of the accident, but did not know why he was driving to Palmerston. ' Dr ,J. R. Ritchie, said.,that there was no fracture of the skull. Death in hik opinion was due to drowning. .Charles Frederick Algie said that with Mervyn James M’Kenzie he arranged- -to drive from the camp at Ha’ast Pass to Dunedin, with the deceased They, loft at 1.45 a.m. yesterday and picked .up a number of other men on the way. The only other stop was at Lauder, where one of them alighted. When near the bridge at the boundary of the Maniototo and Waihemo counties the car skidded in some loose gravel and left the road. After being brought back to the road it was found that the steering wheel was damaged, but the car seemed to steer quite well. The other three passengers were then given a lift in another car. When abopt three chains from the Pigroot bridge the deceased appeared to miss in changing gears and the car left the road, apparently out of control. It travelled about 60yds and turned over down a>, hillside,' rolling over sideways two or three times and coming to rest upside down in-the river. Witness managed to get , out through tho front dopr opposite to the driver’s' side and noticed the deceased pinned under . .the car. He was completely submerged in the water, which was abbuta foot deep. An attempt was made to release him, but this was unsuccessful,' sb help’Was Tha deceased : was apparently thrown, out of the car as it rolled down the hillside and it fell on top of him in the river. He was sober and had not had any liquor prior to starting on the journey* There was ho' liquor in the car. Mervyn James M'Kenzie, the other passenger in the ear at the time of the accident, gave corroborative evidence.He said that the car was not travelling fast at the time; he estimated the speed at . about 20 miles an hour; When the car came to rest the door opposite the driver’s side was open and they left by it, deceased being pinned- beneath the car. The latter had mentioned previously that the gears of the car were awkward. • 1

The inquest was then adjourned,