KNOCKED DOWN ON ROAD

Taranaki Daily News, 12 June 1930, Page 13

KNOCKED DOWN ON ROAD

MAN KILLED AFTER RACES

JURY CONVICTS CAR DRIVER.

RECOMMENDED TO ’ MERCY.

By Telegraph.—Press Association. t Hamilton, Last Night.

On a charge of negligently driving a motor-car so as to cause the death of. ■Norman Stephen Bradley on April 12, a middle-aged farmer, August Herman Dernier, faced the Judge and jury in the Supremo Court to-day. The Crown’s case was that tho fatality occurred on tho first day of the April races at Te Rapa, when Bradley, who lived nearby, was walking home along tho grass margin of the road. He had stepped off the grass to cross the road when he was knocked down by Demler’s car and killed. It was charged against Dender that he failed to keep a proper look-out and that the brakes of tho car were defective. In evidence it- was stated that the car travelled 35 or 49 yards before pulling up. A son of the accused told the bench that deceased stopped out suddenly in front of the car and no brakes in the world would have saved him. Witness alleged that the car was shifted some distance after the accident out of the way of the race traffic.

Counsel for the defence submitted that deceased, who was walking in front of the car. stopped suddenly and it was impossible to avoid hitting him. The jury «after a short, retirement • brought in a verdict of guilty, with a recommendation to mercy.