LORRY DRIVER’S DEATH

Star (Christchurch), Issue 17223, 14 December 1923, Page 5

LORRY DRIVER’S DEATH

FALLS UNDER WHEELS. An inquest on John Allen, who w'as killed at Soekbum early on Wednesday afternoon, was held by the District Coroner (Mr Wyvem Wilson, S.M.) yesterday. Sergeant D. Stewart conducted the inquiry on behalf of the police. Jasper George William Salt, Main South Road, Sockburn. a bootmaker, said that at about 12.35 p.m. on Wednesday he was at his back gate, facing Station Road. His attention was drawn to tho shouting of the driver of the vehicle to the horses. The driver apparently had his reins too long, for he was leaning hack on the large fire bricks which were in the lorry, drawn by a two-horse team. The horses were trotting. Witness ran towards the lorry when he saw that Allen was in difficulties. By this time the horses were cantering. Allen had leaned back so far that he had dislodged one of the bricks, and tho wheel, passing over the brick, unseated him aud he fell to the ground in front of the wheel. By the time witness had got to him, within a second, the lorry had passbd over Allen and was down the road. Allen’s bead was crushed. Sergeant Stewart: Was there any fault with the harness or team?-—No. I think they were a good team and the harness looked sound. Alfred Edgar Luttrell, architect, living at 12. Riccarton Road, said that he was travelling in his car towards town when he saw the driver out on the pole trying to get tho reins, when ho overbalanced and fell. The front wheel passed over his head. The accident occurred thirtv yards on the town side of Epsom Road. A brother of tho deceased, Robert Allen, a cab driver, living at 139, Wordsworth Street, Sydenham, identified the body. Deceased had lived at 121, Madras Street, and at the time of his death he was employed as a driver for J. M. Heywood and Co., Ltd. He had been employed there only ten days. He was used to horses. He was a single man, aged fifty-five years. Constable David Hannafin. stationed at Upper Riccarton, deposed to having found th© deceased lying dead on the road, close to the tram lines. The skull was badly fractured. The clothing was torn. The body had been dragged about fifteen yards aloug the road. The Coroner found that Allen had died from injuries to the skull by having aecidentallv fallen off a lorrv Vhirb he was driving and the- wheels having passed over his head.