HAD FIVE DRINKS

Sun (Auckland), Volume IV, Issue 1020, 10 July 1930, Page 9

HAD FIVE DRINKS

MOTORIST’S ADMISSION AT INQUEST ACCELERATOR JAMMED Press Association PALMERSTON N.. Today. The circumstances of the death o Alfred Hickey, a postal officer, aged 24, were investigated by the coroner today. Hickey, while riding a motorcycle, was injured in a collision wit': a car near Sandon on April 12 aud died on May 19. The doctor who attended him at the hospital said that the cause of death was surgicar shock, supervening on a debilitated condition of genera! health following extremely serious injuries. An operation had been necessary to effect the union of a fractured bone which had failed to knit. Death was not really attributable to the direct effect of anaesthesia. John Joseph Evans, driver of the car, said he was travelling at about 35 miles an hour. Approaching the corner near Mount Stewart he tried to slacken speed, but the accelerate did not come up. He stooped down to pull it up, but knocked the steer-ing-wheel. causing the car to wobbleJust as the car reached the c-ornt r Hickey came round and a crash occurred. Witness applied the brakes and the car turned over. Questioned, witness said he had had five drinks that afternoon, threbefore and two after a football match He would not deny that he had had more than two after the match. The coroner said he would make no comment on the evidence in view of the likelihood of subsequent proceedings being taken. A verdict was rc turned in accordance with the medical evidence.