EPILEPTIC AT WHEEL

NZ Truth, Issue 1232, 11 July 1929, Page 3

EPILEPTIC AT WHEEL

Driver Lost Grip, and Crashed

(From "N.Z. Truth's" Christchurch Rep.) When driving a motor-car along Riccarton Road recently, Colin Alexander Charles Ransley, a young laborer, suddenly lost control of the steering wheel, swerved across the street and collided with a motor-lorry. When the driver of the lorry went over to him he noticed that he was shivering, so he scntfor the police, being under the impression that he was intoxicated. pONSTABLE MURPHY, v/ho came on the scene, was of the same opinion, and he arrested Ransley on charges of being- drunk while, m charge of a car and of negligent driving. All who shudder and drive erratically are not drunk, however. Ransley 4 s subject to epileptic fits, and he was m one of these fits when he met with t'ne accident. He was brought to the police station where he recovered and asked to see Dr. J. D. Marks. Dr. Marks visited him there and told the police that he was subject to fits. There were no signs of intoxication, he said. When he was brought before Mr. H. P. Lawry, S.M., m the ■Ch.riatchurch Magistrate's Court, Sub-inspector P. T. O'Hara asked leave to withdraw the charge of being drunk while m charge of a car, and, on permission being 1 granted, proceeded with the other charge. The sub-inspector outlined the case and said that the man should not be allowed to drive a car. He asked for the license to be cancelled. "In his present state of health he is a menace to himself and to the public," said the sub-inspector. "He might have killed himself or someone else. He, admits that he should not drive a car, and says that he always likes to have someone with him when he is driving." Arthur Camber was with Ransley at the time of the accident, and he explained his companion's fit. Ransley. he said, was driving at about 20 miles an" hour at the time. When asked whether he wanted to ask the constable any questions, Ransley said that he did not know as much about the affair as the constable did. In a statement he made to the police when arrested, Ransley said that he remembered nothing after having the fit. He had suffered from fits for years, but as he had not had one for about six months he thought that he was cured of them. "A sufferer' from epileptic fits should not, drive a car at all," said Mr. Ltfiwry. He cancelled Ransley's license and ordered him to pay the costs of- the case.