MOTORING FATALITY

Dominion, Volume 12, Issue 140, 8 March 1919, Page 9

MOTORING FATALITY

AN ERROR OF JUDGMENT. The inquiry into the circumstances connected with the death of Mts. Elizabeth Gentles, aged 63 years, of 237 Willis Street, who died at thp Hospital on Monday evening from injuries received in a motor-car accident in Wilton Road, on Saturday, was held by the Coroner, Mr. W. G. Riddell, S.M., yosterday. Sergeant Butler appeared for the police. Eric H. Luke, house surgeon at the Hospital, stated that deceased was suffering from a fracture of the base of the skull. Although the usual treatment was applied she sank, and died at 7.55 p.m. on Monday. Jeremiah O'Me-ara stated that he was the owner and .driver of the oar in whioli the deceased was travelling at the time of the mishap. On Saturday afternoon, accompanied by Mra. and Miss Gentles, and Mrs. Cartwright, witness went on a' pleasure ride. After driving to Karori lie intended to return to town via Wadestowp. and for this purpose he turned into Wilton Road. The thoroughfarQ was very narrow, but he had driven along it before. He took a wrong turning, however, and thinking that he could get on to the lower road without any trouble did not back the car, but tried to drive the oar round in order to get on to the other road. The front wheels of the rir ran over an incline for about n foot, brake witness came in contact with the accelerator, and the car jumped forward, smashed through a fence, and rolled down the incline- He thought it turned over twice. Deceased was thrown clear of the car, and rolled down a second embankment. The caT could have been backed down from the upper road, but witness considered that he had plenty of Toom to turn from the upper to the lower road. The brakes of the oar were sound, and the mishap was due solely to the acoidental touching of the accelerar to The Coroner said that though the driver had acted with the best of intentions, lie had road© &n orroT of judgment in not backing the car to tne lower road A verdict was returned that deceased died from injuries received through heing thrown out of a motor-car which was accidentally driven over a bank on Wilton Road.