DEAD FOUR DAYS

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume LXXXIII, Issue 19771, 19 February 1927, Page 6

DEAD FOUR DAYS

PARAPARA ROAD TRAGEDY WRECKED CAR HIDDEN IN GORGE An inquest on William McCullough, a commercial traveller, whose body was found inside a wrecked motor car near Kahatahi on Tuesdtay, was held yesterday. The dead man had been due to return to his home at 8 Bates Street, Wanganui, on Friday, February 11. On that dlay he transacted business at Ohakune, and nothing more was heard of him until a drover the car in a deep gorge. Investigations by a roadman named Purcell revealed thtat a body was inside the car, and the settlers immediately pot into touch with the police. Evidence of identification was tendered yesterday by Michael Quirke, who shared a house with the deceased and his fiamily. The body was so knocked about that no features could be recognised, the head being shattered, and identification was only established by tattoo marks on the larms and by the clothes, and papers in the pockets. Fearful Injuries In addition to the fearful head injuries, which must have caused instantaneous death as the car plunged into the creek 115 feet below the road, deceased’s limbs were broken in several places. Decomposition had begun when the body was found. Describing the scene of the accident, Senior-Sergeant C. W. Lopdell said it was a danger spot where an accident had previously occurred. McCullough had evidently been driving at night, and had apparently been misled by a patch of white papta so that he had gone straight on instead of following the road round the bend. From the road it was not possible to see directly into the gorge, where the car came to rest, and therefore other motorists saw no trace of the wreck.

In returning a verdict of laccidental death the Coroner, Mr J. S. Barton, S.M., expressed the opinion that white posts on rails should be erected to guide motorists at the spot where deceased went over.