LEVEL CROSSING SMASH

Hawke's Bay Tribune, Volume XIX, Issue 30, 22 January 1929, Page 3

LEVEL CROSSING SMASH

CORONIAL INQUIRY. Hamilton, Jan. 21. The fatal collision of a car and a train at a level crossing on December 1, when Alexander John Hamilton labourer, of Frankton, was killed and three others were injured, was the subject of a coronial inquiry at Hamilton to-day, by Mr. Wyvern Wilson, S.M. The coroner found that Patrick Deegan, labourer, of Pukemiro, driver of the car, was intoxicated at the time of the accident; that he drove negligently, failing to keep a proper look-out; that the train whistle was sounded and no blame was attachable to the engine driver. The coroner said the crossing did not seem very bad. Deegan was rc’-mnded some time ago on a charge of causing Hamilton’s death. Concerning Deegan’s intoxication, Dr. Waddell, who was called to the scene of the accident, said that Deegan was very flushed, fairly steady on his feet, bad a bounding pulse, was talkative, mid seemed confused. Deegan was not drunk in the ordinary sense, lull was not in a fit condition to drive a car. Mrs. Scown, one of Deegan’s passengers. who was injured, denied that, he aas intoxicated.