YOUTH’S DEATH

Bay of Plenty Beacon, Volume 10, Issue 90, 5 February 1947, Page 5

YOUTH’S DEATH

THE OHOPE ROAD FATALITY

EVIDENCE AT INQUEST

SEQUEL TO MOTOR ACCIDENT

The inquest into the death of the 16 year old youth, Edward Jackson, which occurred in the Whakatane Hospital on the morning of January 2nd, following a road accident on the Ohope hill in the early hours of the morning,, was completed before the District Coroner, Mr C. S. Armstrong, yesterday when a verdict of death following injuries received in a truck accident was returned.

Robert William Massey Caulfield, of Otakiri, the driver of the truck concerned, stated that he had attended the dance in the Winter Show Buildings on New Year’s Eve. He had agreed to give the deceased and his friend James Morgan a lift home to Awakeri. Pie left about 1 a.m. with another passenger, George Edward Bai (known as Digger) who sat in the cab next to him, while the other two sat on the side fartherest -away from him. He told them all that he had to call at Ohope and that in reality he did not want pas-

sengers, however Jackson offered him ten shillings to drive them Jiome.

Travelling to Ohope he estimated his speed at between 15 and 20 m.p.h. on the hills and a little faster on the flat. He would not have'exceeded .30 m.p.h. at any time. He had not had any liquor ,and steered ■a straight course, not zig-zagging in any way. Glai;e of Headlights When the truck reached the top '.of the Ohope Hill from the beach ■end, and had commenced to go down -Trill, he noticed a car coming towards him. It had rounded a bend, and he was caught in the glare of its lights. Hp could not see a thing. This car carried straight on and he could feel the truck travelling on a slight angle, keeling over a little., He did his best to straighten the -wheel and get back on the road The wheels on the off side sort of ran up the bank and the truck turned completely over, with its wheels in the air. The four of them were imprisoned in the cab' when it turned over. He opened the door on the driver’s side and climbed out. The man called ‘Digger’ also climbed out himself.

Witness said he pulled Morgan -out, who was partly unconscious. .Jackson was deeply unconscious and could not l?e released. He was pinned between the truck and the road. The accident occurred at about 2 :a.m. Cars came along a few minutes after and the truck was lifted off Jackson, and placed on its wheels again. Witness said he was half dazed, but thought the front of the truck was facing towards Ohope .after it capsized. The man called ‘Digger’ went home shortly after the .accident. He was not injured. He added that he had been driving a truck since he was 14 years of age and was the holder of a current license. His speed at the time .of the accident would be about 15 m.p.h. The road surface was dry and visibility quite good. He attributed the accident entirely to the glare of the oncoming headlights. Passengers Evidence

James Morgan a<* passenger who was injured said that when Caulfield drove the truck up Hillcrest, he had thought he was going to come down the Maraetotara Road, but instead he drove straight on to Ohope. Describing the method of driving, witness declared that Caulfield zig-zag-= ged from one side of the road to the other, and though he did not appear to be drunk, he gave the impression of showing off. Deceased and he had been frightened as the truck was travelling very fast all the way, skidding round corners and bumping into the bank along the roadway. As the truck commenced to go down the Ohope Hill, another car approached and did not stop. He next felt the truck in the water-table and scraping the bank. He did not remember clearly what happened but deceased and he were pinned underneath. He had a faint recollection of being pulled out from underneath. Steady Driving

A further witness, George Edward Bai, a farmhand of Edgecumbe, stated that the driver had not had any liquor, and that the truck did not travel at an excessive speed—about 30 m.p.h. Caulfield had steered a straight course and did not swerve from one side of the road to the other. He had informed him (witness) that he intended going to Ohope to see the end of the dance there. In his opinion he drove correctly all the way over. He corroborated the effect of the glaring headlights, stating that as soon as the offending car had passed Caulfield had remarked to him -ithat he could not see. He (witness)

could not see either being momentarily blinded. The next -thing was that the truck partially mounted the bank and capsized with its four wheels in the air. He had finished up in the driver’s seat, his head jambed between the driving wheel and the road surface. He remained in that position for five or ten minutes until assistance arrived.

In his opinion the whole reason for the accident was the overpowering headlights of the oncoming car, as the truck was travelling on its correct side. Witness had known Caulfield for some six months, and had travelled with him frequently. He considered him a good driver, not given to showing off, though sometimes he travelled a bit fast. Measurements Taken

Constable R. F. Julian who visited the scene of the accident at 2.45 a.m. said that measurements showed that the truck had travelled in the water-table a distance of 49 feet. Marks on the bank showed how it had finally mounted the side and turned over. From enquiries he had learned that the driver, who was perfectly sober, had been dazzled by the glare of another car coming towards him.

• Dr. Campbell of the Whakatane Hospital, testified to the fact that deceased was admitted to hospital in an unconscious condition suffering from a fractured skull and concussion. His condition deteriorated and he died some five hours later. The finding of the Coroner was that Edward Jackson met his death from a fractured skull and other injuries sustained in an accident on the Ohope Hill Road.