CHARGE DISMISSED

Otago Daily Times, Issue 26545, 21 August 1947, Page 3

CHARGE DISMISSED

ALLEGED INTOXICATED MOTORIST SEQUEL TO ACCIDENT AT PUKEURI Jack Nevill Crawford (Mr C. J. L, White) appeared before Mr J. D. Willis, S.M., in the Magistrate’s Court on Tuesday on two charges arising out of an accident involving three cars at Pukeuri last May. Mr Willis reserved his decision on the first charge against Crawford for alleged negligent driving, and dismissed the second charge of intoxication while in charge of a motor vehicle. The prosecution was conducted by Senior Sergeant D. Wilson. Both charges were heard together by consent. . ~ Medical evidence was given for the prosecution by Drs E. E. Butler, R. Mel so m and M. M. Wood, all of whom testified that the defendant was unfit to drive a motor vehicle when he was admitted to the Oamaru Hospital. Robert Evan Cameron, watchmaker of Waimate, said that on the day of the accident he left Oamaru for Waimate about 7 p.m. As the defendants car approached him it appeared to be ing from side to side. He kept well over to his left and the oncoming car hit his ear at an angle. Another car then hit the car that had hit him. Evidence was also given for the prosecution. byM. D. Law, Traffic Inspector J. Henderson and Constables I. E. Harris and S. G. H Addressing the bench, Mr White said that both Crawford and his companion. Philin Edwin Ruston, were emphatic that they had not had any drink between the time they left Dunedin for the Timaru races and the accident. They stopped at the junction of the Waimate road on the return journey to pick up' a stranger who asked for a lift as far as Fukeun. The stranger had a bottle of brandy in his possession, but that was all the liquor there was in the car. . Shirley Chalmers, of Timaru typist, said that she had tea ,with ,9 r + a '^ or h d pf o?e they ton in Timaru immediately before tney left for Dunedin. They were both sober Ruston also -o stated in evidence that neither he nor the defendant had had al Joseph*^Patterson^Fitzgerald, of Dunedin labourer said' that he was the person picked up by the mate road junction. After the accident hp g- ave both the defendant and R us *-on a good drink from the bottle bran y which he had purchased that day. Mr White submitted that each man had taken at least four to six ounces of br Mi- d Willis said that he had to take notice of the evidence of Fitzgerald and dis missed the charge, of intoxication He reserved his decision on the charge - of negligent driving.