MOTORING TRAGEDY.

Otago Witness, Issue 3860, 6 March 1928, Page 81

MOTORING TRAGEDY.

THREE PERSONS KILLED. BLENHEIM, February 27. A fatal accident occurred on the Blen-heim-Nelson road at about 11 o’clock last night, near Ruapeka, about four miles on the Nelson side of Havelock, at a spot ■where several accidents have happened in recent years. A car-driven by Mr Janies Hickey, who was accompanied by his wife. Jessie Hickey, his daughter Lily, aged io, and his son Maurice, aged three, a lad named Mervyn Stewart, aged. 13, and a man named Bernard West, all Nelson people, who had been visiting Blenheim for the week-end, was proceeding to Nelson. Just after passing a car driven by Mrs H. White, Hickey’s car plunged down a 30ft bank into 15ft of water. Mrs White noticed nothing wrong, but Mr Charlie Maule (of Rai Valley), who was motoring immediately behind Hickey, saw the accident, and rendered• assistance. All but Mrs Hickey and her son and daughter managed to get free of the car. flic lad Stewart was sent to hospital with injured shoulders and suffering from severe shock.

The bodies of Mrs Hickey and Lily Hickey were recovered from the submerged car at 8 this morning, Maurice Hickey’s body being found three hours later. The indications are that all were dead before the car struck the water. The little boy had a fracture of the base of the skull, the girl suffered a broken neck, gnd the mother had serious hpad injuries. • * • - •