MOTOR ACCIDENT

Dominion, Volume 15, Issue 40, 10 November 1921, Page 9

MOTOR ACCIDENT

MAN HURT BY PETONE FIRE ENGINE CHARGE AGAINST THE DRIVER A case heard in the Supreme Court yesterday, before His Honour Mr. Justico Hawking and ft jtjry of twelve, was “^n/mermatn : *vr‘a’ii’accident at Petone. Theotltxro Woodward was charged that, at Petone, on August 27, he had caused actual bodily harm to James Doogan under such circumstances that if the death of Doogan had ensued, accused would havo boon guilty of manslaughter. The charge related to tho knocking down of Doogan by the Petone fire motor, of which Woodward was the driver. Mr. P. S. K. Macassey appeared for the Crown, and Mr. A. B. Sievwright for tho prisoner. Outlining tho case for the prosecution, Mr. Macassey stated that the accused had caused the accident by driving tho motor-car recklessly, tyhd at an excessive speed. At the intersection of Jackson Street and Buick Street, Petone, tho car struck Doogan, and knocked him down, dragging him for about 42 feet. The car also knocked down a man and u child. Previous to tho accident, tho accused, it was alleged, had been attending a football match, and had been indulging in liquor. He had taken the motor from the fire station to show a woman "how it worked. He took her to tho railway station, and the accident happened as ho was returning. In evidence, Doogan stated that he could not remember much after ta»ng knocked down. Ho had sustained.a fractured skull, and had been in hospital fol' five weeks, as a consequence. He was not better yet. This evidence was corroborated by ur. Hardwick-Smith. ~ Dr. Harding said that the whom he saw after the accident was not sober, and certainly was m no fit Rf-nto to drive a motor-car. t Senior-Sergeant Bpd, of Petone, sai that the accused was drunk when he saw him after the accident. Evidence regarding the kno^ sr “ d of a man named Gallagher and the child was given by James Leo Leydon, who home 6 the injured man had been visiting earlier in the afternoon. The car camo • alonn- the street on tho wrong side, h alleged and the accident was caused by ?ts swerving while travelling at a high speed He denied that accused had «r Brigade (James Gaynor) denied that the accused had any authority to take out the motor, except for testing. Testingt ime was usually early in the foreign. Since the accident the accused had been suspended for having, taken out the motor without permission. Further evidence for the Crown was given by Francis Gallagher. Lyall p owPlL and Mrs. Gallagher. The case will be concluded to-day.