DEATH OF CYCLIST

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXIX, Issue 21253, 5 August 1932, Page 15

DEATH OF CYCLIST

flfllUSlON WITH MOTOR-CAR DRIVER before-the court allegation of negligence 1 ' " fjjt, trial of John George Collins, aged 22 motor driver, charged with negligently driving » motor-car, on May 26, and tWofy' causing the death of Edtoard AntonOVich> was commenced before Mr. Jus- - gerdman and a jury in the Supreme Court yesterday. The Crown Prosecutor said the accident in broad daylight at the interjjectipn of Walmer Road and Great North joad, near Western Springs. Accused was about to turn to his right from Great Road into Walmer Road, and it -wastalleged that lie gave no warning of jjjjf'intention to turn and that lie cut the corner at a fairly fast pace. The regnlt' was that the second of two boys on bicycles was knocked down in attempting to avoid the collision and died in hospital Jwoudays later. Evidence that accused had cut the corner/and that the collision occurred in palmer Road after the boy Antonovich had swung down from Great North Road jn an effort to dodge the car, was given bv Catherine Winnifred McLennan and Joyce Murdoch, two schoolgirls, who witnessed the accident. Both said accused gave no warning of his intention to turn. Andrew Otto Thorburn said lie was cycling along Great North Road toward the city. The boy Antonovich and another toy were cycling in the same direction, a few, yards ahead of him. Just as they came to the intersection of Walmer Road the:car driven by accused started to turn. I{ was being driven along Great North Road from the city. One of the cyclists spurted and crossed the intersection in front of the car, but Antonovich, in an attempt to avoid an inevitable collision, turned down Walmer Road. The collision occurred in the middle of Walmer Road, almost on the line of intersection. Witness said he did not see or hear accused give any warning of, his intention to turn. Constable Wilson said he tested the brakes of accused's car some time after the accident and in his opinion they were sot Lin good working order. Accused told him that since the accident he had driven 600 miles in the Coromandel Hills, but witpess did not think that would weaken the "brakes. Witness had been employed for five years as a service car driver between Te Kuiti and New Plymouth. & evidence, accused said the brakes [srere perfectly sbund -two days before the »ccident, when he bought the car. As he .went to turn" into Walmer Road one cyclist passed across the intersection safely and witness noticed another some distance in the rear. He accelerated to turn into Walmer Road, but the second cyclist was travelling at a high speed. The cyclist was carrying a large bag of apples on his handlebars. and his machine appeared 'to be <sut of control before it crashed-into the,,'side of the car. After the accident, accused said he drove the cyclist first to a chemist, and then to a doctor. The doctor examined the boy for an hour and then told Accused la take hijn home. The -hoy. was* able. to Vaik and talk ancf appeared quite normal. !H» hearing was adjourned until this