DRIVER CHARGED

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXIII, Issue 22448, 18 June 1936, Page 14

DRIVER CHARGED

INTOXICATION ALLEGED DEATH OF TWO PEDESTRIANS COMMITTED FOR TRIAL [nY TET.KORAPII —PIIKSS ASSOCIATION] DUNEDIN, Wednesday A sequel to the tragic motor accident in Princes Street South on the evening of May }), which resulted in tho death of two pedestrians and severe injuries to two others, was heard today in tlie Police Court, when John Francis Harris, a farmer, aged 51, appeared before Mr. J. 1?. Bartholomew, S.M., charged with being intoxicated while in charge of a motor-car, with causing tho death of Thomas Joseph Rogan when driving a motor-car while in a state of intoxication, and with causing the death of Charles Nicol Stewart through an act or omission when driving a motor-car while in a state of intoxication. The inquest into the deaths of Rogan and Stewart was held concurrently with the hearing of the case for the prosecution, tho coroner returning an open verdict. Stanley Gordon McKeagg, a driver in the employ of tho New Zealand Express Company, said that shortly after 6.45 on the evening of May 9 ho was standing opposite the foot of Maitland Street tvhon ho noticed a group of four people standing about a chain and a-half to tho south of him. Two men were standing a few feet from tho kerbing and two women seemed to bo standing on tho footpath. "Excessive Speed" Witness' attention was attracted by a red sedan car which was travelling south along Princes Street at what ho considered an excessive speed. So far as he was aware no horn was sounded, and the next thing ho heard was a tyre skidding and a woman screaming. Witness went across and saw tho two men and a woman lying on the road, and another woman sitting up. Witness called an ambulance and went to attend to Rogan and dragged him in toward the footpath. While ho was attending to Rogan accused said to him: "Did you not hear mo sound" the horn?" Witness replied, "No." Dr. Evans said that he was called to examine accused at the police station. His gait was staggering, his tongue was furred, his breath smelt of alcohol, his body swaved. and his eves, which were sluggish in their reaction to light, were closed. Witness bad formed the opinion that accused was suffering from alcoholism, that his judgment was impaired, and that in the condition he was in he was not fit to drive a car. " Two or Three Drinks " Constable D. Crawford gave evidence that accused admitted that he had had two or threo drinks. Witness asked him if he had seen the people before he struck them, to which accused replied: "Yes. 1 hooted my horn, but they walked in front of me. I was travelling at 25 miles an hour." Witness formed the opinion that although he could talk quito rationally accused was under tho influence of liquor as his senses were dulled and his gait "was unsteady. Senior-Sergeant Packer said he had known accused for the past 10 years, and it was the first occasion on which he had known, of his being the worse for liquor. Accused, pleading not guilty, reserved his defence and was committed to the Supremo Court for trial, bail being allowed in his own recognisance oj £IOOO and two sureties of £SOO,