FATAL ACCIDENT

Timaru Herald, Volume CLVII, Issue 23115, 1 February 1945, Page 4

FATAL ACCIDENT

Charge Of Negligent Driving

(N.Z.P.A.) WELLINGTON, Jan. 31. (Jnarged witn negligently driving a motor-car at neretaui-ga on uecemoer 31, thereby causing the death oi Robert Morrison, Hugn Alexander jamay, aged w, appealed oeiore ivrr A. M. Gouiding, b.ivi., in the Magistrates court to-day. Two otner charges oi negligent driving tnereoy causing bodily injury to Donald Poole anu Warwick Richard Grnirn respectively were made against jaiiray.

IVlervyn Patrick Grover, Leading Aircraiunan, 'lrentham, said he was the owner of the car in wmen Morrison, Poole and Griffin, witn others, had oeen travelling toward Upper nua on tne mgnt of December 30. The car stoppea. Witness switched off tne lights ana haa a look at the engine, he was unsuccessful in starting it again. They started to pusn tne car, wmeh was on tne left hand side near the kerb, and then stopped. Witness stood by the windscreen on the right hand side of the car facing north. Griffin was standing by the runningboard behind witness. Poole was sitting on tne running board, probably behind Griffin, and Morrison was by the rear right mudguard. Witness heard a car approacnlng from the north. His attention was attracted by the high “revving” of the engine. He’ saw a car approaching from the direction of Upper Hutt. It had poor lights, which looked like parking lights. He estimated it was then about 200 yards away travelling at a minimum of 35 to 40 miles an hour. It was on its correct side of the road, but swerved right across from its left hand side to the right, commencing to do this when about 100 yards away. He ran to the footpath and heard the smashing of glass and metal. On returning he found that three of his companions had been hit. Griffin was lying partly under the right hand running board. Poole had been thrown roughly six feet to the rear of witness’s car, and Morrison was lying about 15 feet to the rear of the car. Cross-examined, witness said the hghts of his car were still switched off at the time of the accident. He did not agree that at the point where his car was stopped it was completely under a shadow cast by the moon from pine trees at the side of the road. The proceedings were adjourned till to-morrow.