CAR CAREERED WILDLY DOWN STEEP HILL.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 18645, 26 December 1928, Page 8

CAR CAREERED WILDLY DOWN STEEP HILL.

WOMAN HURT IN BAD ACCIDENT AT LYTTELTON,

After careering down the steep slope of Oxford Street, Lyttelton, apparently out of control, a motor-car yesterday crashed into a gatepost at the entrance to the railway yard. The driver and sole occupant of the car, Ella Constance Hack, of Lyttelton, was thrown out with extreme violence. About 4 p.m. a three-seater car, driven by Miss Hack, who was the sole occupant, turned from Winchester Street into Oxford Street. The car turned at a high speed, and as it passed down Oxford Street at about thirty miles per hour it was apparent to the onlookers that it was completely out of control. In the centre of Oxford Street, which runs on to the station yard, and is very steep, and about halfway down, is the Lyttelton Memorial Column. By the narrowest margin the car avoided this obstacle, and continued on its' downward course. With the horn blaring and the brakes screaming it passed London Street, and then with a terrific crash hit the railway yards gatepost. All the way down the hill the car had been gathering speed, and it was going at fully forty miles an hour when it crashed.

The post was carried completely away, and the car flew into the air, somersaulted twice, and then landed on its wheels in the yard. The driver, Miss Hack, was thrown clear during the first somersault, and fell heavily between the rails in the yard.

Dr Gilmour was at once summoned, and it was found that the woman was badly injured. Her right arm was badly fractured, and her head, face and body were cut and bruised. She was conveyed at once to the Christchurch Hospital. The car was badly damaged. Two men who were sitting on the rails near the gate at the time of the accident had a narrow escape from injury, as the car was upon them almost before they were aware that anything was wrong. One jumped clear, while the other, who was not so quick, was thrown into the air, fortunately suffering no injury beyond bruises. It is surmised that the car became out of control at the top of the hill, and that the brakes would not hold. The car must have been going at forty to forty-five miles per hour when it struck the railings.

Miss Hack, who is the owner of the car, resides with her parents at Lyttelton.

It was necessary to perform an operation on Miss Hack’s arm last evening. At a late hour her condition was reported to be serious.