CAPTURE OF MOTORIST.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LX, Issue 18547, 3 November 1923, Page 12

CAPTURE OF MOTORIST.

OONSTABLE'S RESOURCE. WILD RIDE ON BONNET. A police constable's perilous ride of more than five miles on the bonnet of a motor-car was ; described at Marylebone, Police Court, London,, a few weeks ago. Robert Thomas, aged 21, a merchant dealer, was charged j with being drunk while in charge of a motor-car, ; driving in a manner, dangerous to the. public, resisting Police , Constable , Donald, Fish in the execution of his duty, and driving without having a license. -..;,: '-"•*„■ The accused man; having failed to surrender to his bail, was arrested on a warrant. ~ , , • ... ),•..• •J; Mr. , McClure , prosecuted for the Commissioner ,of Police; Mr. Charles Victor Hill, solicitor, defended.'. s . \.'-" Z Police Constable Fish said that at 9.56 p.m. on August 19 he saw Thomas standing by the side of the car in Harrow Road, arid'■ having ■ ascertained from him that his brother was driving he agreed to await the brother's return. Five minutes elapsed, when Thomas jumped into the car and -started the engine. Witness jumped on' to the running board and called upon the accused man to get out; but he took off the? braked put on 4 Hie accelerator, and drove off at ■-'*? speed of 12 to 15 miles an hour. :;; Witness blew hi* whistle .to attract attention, but Thomas proceeded and threatened, as they were approaching a trarr.car, to smash him if he did not get off the car. < Fearing that he would be ; knocked off; witness climbed, for safety on to the "bonnet," : and continued to blow his whistle, until Thomas thrust, his hand through the wind-screen and snatched it from his mouth. Shortly afterwards he leaned through the window and snatched the whistle from Thomas' hand and continued to blow it. ,-;,., j,i t.,-];-. '. ..'' Mr. McClure: How were you holding on? "' "' •' '"'' ,*■'". -''► ■ The Constable: With my legs astride the > bonnet of the car and holding 'on to '. the wind-screen with both hands; but I' the prisoner was banging .my hands with his nst, and I had to keep r releasing my 1 .hold. '.- .■' , . . ~'.'. • '. ~' ■ The Magistrate The car was going th* ; whole 'time ? • : '" ' -"-•■'.- „.*,/* Witness: said that was so. Another car was , following with •: another i constable on the foot-board, continued Constable Fish, and for a time they raced side by side, almost touching one . another; but v On: » reaching St. John's Wood Road the .other car "cut" in front of the prisoner's, and thus brought it to a stop. Later on the witness said vhe measured ; the distance they had covered and found it was five and eightrtenths miles. .. «, ; The Magistrate iff. You <. said something about knocking you off the car, i r■''; ? Constable Fish: - Yes, in Harrow Road. As we were passing a tramcar he said: "I will smash you up if you don't get off," and Ihe swayed to i the near side of the tram. Anticipating the move, I climbed ci to the bonnet, and the tram missed mo by, a . few inches. pp -: >':'--^;>'l-t-? Witness added that, he could hardly stand when he alighted from the bonnet, but with the - assistance of the -. constable on the pursuing car he arrested prisoner, : who was! drunk. ■■'--v ; v "! il, \- ■^:^ r \,_,-y- : :., Dr. Greenwood,' divisional ■ surgeon, said • Thomas was not absolutely drunk, but he had been drinking, and was suffering from the effects of alcohol, and was quite unfit to , drive a car. .In fairness to prisoner, however, he added that he was suffering from a disease • of the heart, and a little alcohol-would j increase the blood pressure and lessen control. ;'"«>,; \ The . Magistrate; We have heard that : he-.drove for about five miles with a constable on the bonnet, trying to get rid -of him and doing all sorts of things, but he hod no collision. ' \ "' ' "That was rather lucky,''," said the doctor. "I think the very fact of his having a living' mascot of a policeman "on v his bonnet hardly justifies hie being in a condition to drive." . A remand was ordered, bail in v £2oo being allowed. - .: , ■