ACCIDENT AT OTAIO BRIDGE

Timaru Herald, Volume CXLV, Issue 21090, 16 July 1938, Page 21

ACCIDENT AT OTAIO BRIDGE

Fatal Consequences Coroner Holds Inquiry Evidence of Driver and Passenger The inquest into the death of Walter Kevin Shea, aged 13 years, who died in the Timaru Public Hospital on June 16, after an accident at the Otaio Bridge on the evening of June 15, when a car in which he was a passenger plunged through the bridge railing and came to rest upside down in the riverbed below, was opened before the Coroner, Mr H. Morgan, in Timaru yesterday. After hearing the evidence of the driver of the car, Mr Robert Monson, and the father of deceased, Mr Walter Shea, who was also a passenger in the car, and Constable A. Leckie, the Coroner adjourned the hearing to permit the Police to produce a report which had not come to hand from Oamaru. Mr M. Raymond represented the father of deceased, and the driver of the car was represented by Mr G. J. Walker. The Inquiry vas conducted by Senior-Sergeant Hewitt.

During the hearing the driver of the car gave evidence that a blow-out had occurred, but Constable Leckie stated that he had examined the tyres, and had been unable to find any trace of a blow-out. He had not submitted the tyres to a pressure test, however, and Senior-Sergeant Hewitt intimated that a report whkh had not yet come to hand from the Oamaru Police would corroborate the evidence of Monson to the effect that there was a blow-out. Dr. G. R. Kingston said that when Shea Was brought to him after the accident he was in a highly excited condition, and showed signs of concussion of the brain. His condition deteriorated. and in spite of every measure to bring about his recovery, he died on the morning of June 16. The post-mortem examination showed that there were abnormalities in the heart and circulatory system, tending to shorten expectation of life. The brain showed scattered, tiny haemorrhages, consistent with concussion. The youth died from heart failure, shock and concussion of the brain, and from exposure and accident. His expectation of life was below the average. A strong youth would have survived, in all probability. The Coroner: There could have been no cause of death other than the accident? Dr. Kingston: That is difficult to answer. With the type of heart trouble he had, he might have died from any small happening, or from an attack of influenza or pneumonia. I understand the boy had been out in the cold for some time before the accident, which would have a prejudicial effect. The Coroner: If there had been no accident, Would the boy be alive now? Dr. Kingston: I should think so, though it is impossible to say with certainty. Driver’s Evidence. Robert H. Monson, a labourer, of 64 Elizabeth Street, Timaru, said he was returning from Hunter to Timaru in his three-seater coupe, on the evening of June 15 when he saw a motor-truck at the side of the road, about two miles south of the Otaio bridge. As he thought the driver was in difficulties, he offered his assistance.

Mr Shea told deponent that his engine had given out, and asked Monson if ho could give him and his son a ride to Timaru. Mr Shea seemed worried about the boy being out in the cold, as it was a bitterly cold night. On Mr Shea’s request Monson assisted him to push the truck off the bitumen, and then went back to pick up the boy, as he was unable to walk. It would have been about 7.30 p.m. when he stopped to offer assistance, and he would have been there from 15 to 20 minutes.

Monson added that he never exceeded 30 miles an hour after picking up the Sheas, and slowed down to 20 as he was approaching the bridge. He proceeded normally along the bridge for about a chain and a half, when the left-hand front tyre blew out. The car swerved violently, first to the left and then to the right, and almost immediately crashed into the railings on the right hand side of the bridge. The car knocked down about half a chain of railing, and turned over into the riverbed below. The car was almost at a standstill, when it went over. “I had no difficulty in getting out of the car,” said deponent, “and assisted Mr Shea and the boy out. Assisted by a passer-by, I managed to haul the boy up to the bridge with a rug and a rope. We were then driven in to hospital by Mr Cadman, the passer-by.” Deponent said he himself received bruises to the shoulder, back and neck muscles. Frost on Bridge. The surface of the bridge was very treacherous, being greasy with frost. He had never known it worse, said deponent. He considered libs tyres were in good order. The car had done less than 13,000 miles, altogether, and the tyre, which had been a spare, less than 5000. He knew the bridge well, and was aware of the curve. The bridge was set on a bad angle. He had driven over It on many occasions. He attributed the accident to the blow-out and the greasy condition of the bridge. He did not apply the brakes when the car swerved. Visibility was good on the night of the accident, said Monson. His lights were good, and there was no traffic about at the time. Mr Walker: Did you have a reason in not applying your brakes?—l have done a considerable amount of driving, and I found it dangerous to apply brakes on a greasy road. Mr Raymond: What speed is your motor capable of?—I nave not had It full-out, but I should think it could do about 60 miles an hour. Mr Raymond: What I can’t understand is how a tyre blowing out at that speed could cause the car to swerve so.—Well I have seen a cap goins twice that speed and nothing happen when a tyre blew out. It was the greasy sur-

face of the bridge and the blowing out of the tyre that caused the accident. Mr Raymond: If Mr Shea says you were going too fast for the condition of the bridge, what would you say to that?—l consider I was going at a reasonably safe speed. To the Coroner, witness said the accident occurred about 8 p.m. As he approached the bridge he expected it to be dangerous, and he slowed down to 20 miles an hour, which he considered to be a safe speed at which to cross the bridge under the existing conditions. He had previously crossed the bridge at that speed on a frosty night, and he had not experienced any skidding. He heard the tyre blow out. It had only done 4300 miles. The Coroner: It is rather unusual for a tyre that has done only about 5000 miles to blow out?—Yes, it is. The Coroner: Did you examine the bridge to see if there was anything to cause the tyre to blow out? —No, I did not. Father’s Evidence Walter Robert Shea, a contractor, residing at Craigie Avenue, Timaru, said the deceased was his son. Together with his son he had gone on June 15 to Otaio to cut wood. They left Otaio about 6.30 p.m. to return to Timaru, and en route the truck gave trouble, and practically refused to go. Mr Monson arrived on the scene, and assisted witness to push the truck to the side of the road. At deponent’s request he gave him and his son a lift, the three men sitting in the front seat. Although he had not looked at the speedometer, he thought the driver was travelling at a fairly fast speed, said Shea. Approaching the bridge the car was travelling at a fairly fast speed. He was unable to say whether the driver reduced speed approaching the bridge. Ho remembered the car going on to the bridge, and the back wheels skidding to the left. Naturally the front of the car swung to the right and went straight into the railing. That was all he remembered of the accident. The next thing that he remembered was when he regained consciousness in hospital. He had driven over the bridge on many occasions, and he did not consider it a safe one to cross at a fast speed on a frosty night. It was a very frosty night. Mr Walker: Are you in receipt of a pension in respect of the boy?—No. Mr Raymond: Mr Monson says he heard a tyre blow out. Did you hear it?—lt might have blown out, but I did not hear it. The Coroner: What time did you pass over the bridge?—About 1 o'clock. The Coroner: Did it seem to be dry? —The decking of the bridge seemed to be sodden with moisture. It was a fine day. Constable’s Testimony Measurements taken at the scene of the accident, and a detailed account of the position of the car, the extent of the damage to the bridge railing, and the car, and the approaches to the bridge was given by Constable A. Leckie, of St. Andrews. For several days prior to the accident there had been heavy rain, and on the night of the accident there had been a heavy frost.

Mr Raymond: Were there any signs of brake marks on the bridge? —No. There were some slight marks, but I should say the surface of the bridge would not show any brake marks. He was unable to form any opinion concerning the marks on the bridge other than that they were made by a car. The Coroner: Did it rip away much of the railing?—A chain. The Coroner: The car was in the river-bed? —Yes, sir. It was upside down, but it was not very badly damaged. It was really in remarkably good order.

Did you examine the tyres?—Yes. Did you see a blow-out in the lefthand front tyre?—No. Mr Walker: Who was with you when you examined the tyres?—Mr Bruce Hutton. Did you use a torch?—Yes. Did Mr Monson say anything to you about a blow-out?—l did not see them. They were in hospital. You heard what Mr Monson said about a blow-out?—Yes. Did you test the tyres for pressure?— No. The Coroner: Did you examine them in the daylight?—Yes. Did you see any indication of a blowout?—No. Senior-Sergeant Hewitt intimated that the motor car had been taken to an Oamaru garage. The Oamaru police had been instructed to make inquiries concerning a blow-out, but so far no report had come to hand. However, he had had a telephone conversation with the Oamaru police, and he had been advised that there was a bad blow-out in the left-hand front tyre. He was still awaiting ;he police report. “The constable has given evidence which throws some doubt on Mr Monson's evidence, and if you have any evidence that will corroborate Mr Monson’s evidence it should be called,” said the Coroner. Senior-Sergeant Hewitt: I suggest the proceedings be adjourned until the report comes to hand. The Coroner: I will adopt that course, because of the possibility of contradictory evidence.