Mad Motorist

NZ Truth, Issue 943, 22 December 1923, Page 7

Mad Motorist

A SENSATIONAL CHASE. Escapes Deafh And Gets Gaol. • A mad motorist doing* a sensational dash along the Streets of the city whilßt under the influence of liquor one night recently' wai chased by a .police officer, who followed m another car. The pursuit ended m the escapee, after driving through Ponsonby, doing a sensational crash act into a fence at the corner of Shelly Beach Road "-and- SarsfleldSLßead, Heme Bay, after- .which he • w.ejtt. .to the hospital, via the Police Stationr The man's, name was John Kelly, who ;is said to be employed by' a wellknown member of a. big, rag firm, and who had been spending some time at one of the city's swank hotels. At any rate Kelly was seen travelling up Symonds Street at, a great speed. He turned into Karangahape Road, .., GOING AROUND ON TWO WHEELS, If is said, and without lights. Constable dv Temple attempted to stop the car, hut as the driver dashed mad*ly on the- officer commandeered another car and set oft m pursuit The car In front continued its mad career, zlg-toggittg along Ponsonby Road arid into Jervoi* Road, and several people narrowly escaped being knocked down, not only by the runaway but by the pursuing can At the foot of Shelly Beach Road the car (an expensive Chandler) collided with a wire fence and was completely wrecked. How the driver escaped death is a miracle, but he was picked up dazed, and apparently unhurt excepting for contusions to head and face. He was taken to the Ponsonby Police Station by dv Temple, and after being attended to by Dr, Murray, was Bent on to the hospital. Next morning Kelly, uninjured save for some . marks to the face, was charged before Magistrate Poynton m the Auckland Police Court with having been, drunk whilst m charge of a motorcar. • \ THE STORY OF THE CHASE was then' outlined by Sergeant Rowell. "It was just short of a miracle that Kelly was not killed^ and that he was not responsible for the death of people on the road," said the Sergeant. "The drunken driver started hia mad career ln O'Rourke Street, oity. continued up Symonds Street and turned into Karangahapo Road, where Constable dv Temple summoned him to stop. Kelly was driving like a maniac and the lights of the car were not properly bn. He sped along at over 40 miles an hour, pedestrians scattering m all directions. Tbe constable jumped into another car and went m pursuit. Both cars travelled at breakneck speed until the chase was ended by the collision. Two stationary tram cars were passed on the way and it is almost beyond comprehension that someone was not killed. The Newton police attempted to stop Kelly at the Reservoir corner, and the Ponsonby police at the Three Lamps, hut without success. Just before the bend was reached at the foot of Shelly Beach Road, Kelly shut off the engine. Previous to this the sound of the exhaust was like the sound of hail on an iron roof., The car went partially around the bend, and then it swerved on its Bide and ran over the pavement Into the fence. Two wheels were broken beyond repair and the car was badly smashed otherwise. The man missed the centre poles by inches ln some cases, and it waa only a miracle he didn't kill somebody. There was no doubt m the world as to his condition* of drunkenness. Lawyer Alan Moody, who appeared on behalf of the accused (there was no denial of the cbarge)said very little could bo urged In palliation of the offence—except to ENLARGE ON THE MIRACLES whioh the sergeant had so kindly referred to. It could be said, however, that although accused was drunk, he was capable of avoiding people on the road. He had been seriously wounded during ..the war and it might be suggested . that this had something to do with hia . outburst. He would suf,fer -financially for his foolishness, for the car was badly wrecked and he would probably lose his employment (although counsel had been retained by the employer), Certainly ho would lose his license as a driver. Counsel pleaded that accused, who. was a married man with one child, be not sent to gaoL Magistrate Poynton said that motorists had been given sufficient warning ■ that drunkenness whilst m charge of a motor car was a serious matter. This was a case of gross indifference to the safety of pedestrians, including women and children, and the man had seriously endangered life and limb. He might have killed half a dozen people, and, as the sergeant had said, it was a miracle he didn't. The high-speeder was then sentenced to fourteen days' imprisonment, which it Is to-be hoped will be a lesson to others not to git drunk and so recklessly endanger the publio safety.