WITNESS TELLS OF NIGHT CHASE IN CAR.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 18188, 22 June 1927, Page 5

WITNESS TELLS OF NIGHT CHASE IN CAR.

MAN CHARGED WITH NEGLIGENT DRIVING. Per Press Association. WELLINGTON, June 22. After several remands, the case against John Walling, carrier, aged 43, of Eastbourne, of recklessly driving a motor-car at Tawa Flat on June 3, thereb} r causing the death of Mrs Helen Telfer, is proceeding before Mr Page, S.M., to-da} r . The Chief-Detective is conducting the prosecution and Mr Perry is defending. * Among the evidence for the police was that of a photographer, Mr Dinnie, who put in a photograph taken on June 4, which showed a rub-mark on the left rear mudguard, such as might have been caused by contact with a motor tyre. He admitted that it might have been caused in other ways. Alexander Coleman, driver of the car which went over the bank, said that a dark-coloured closed-in car attempted to pass without any horn being sounded. Witness considered it was a ridiculous place to try to pass, as the bank was on one side and a gully on the other. The other car got abreast and witness applied his brakes, but seeing the position, the driver of the other car also applied his brakes, then released them and shot across in front of witness’s car. The rear mudguard or bumper of the c-ther car struck witness’s front wheel and pushed him off the road. He estimated the speed of the other car as ten miles more than his own. He did not see the car number. The occupants must have been aware of the collision because of the jar and the noise of the impact. Edward Thomas Skews, motor mechanic, said that he stopped his car just past Tawa Flat to allow three cars —the last of them a sedan —to pass. He followed some distance behind and several times he saw the sedan attempt, unsuccessfully, to pass the second car. After a few minutes the sedan passed the second car he heard the noise of the impact. The second car then plunged over the bank. The sedan went on round the corner and witness pursued it for about half a mile. When he came up to within ten feet, with the aid of his headlights and his spotlight he took the number of the sedan, which was not out of sight during the pursuit.