DOUBLE COLLISION

Dominion, Volume 34, Issue 43, 14 November 1940, Page 12

DOUBLE COLLISION

Driver Charged With Not Stopping ACCIDENT AT KILBIRNIE A charge of failing to slop a ear he was driving after it bad collided with a traincar in Coin i s Mreel, Kilbirnie, at 11.10 p.m. on October 12 was preferred in the Magistrates' Court. Wellington, yesterday against Thomas Leslie Leipst, store manager. He pleaded not guilty, reserved his defence and was committed to lhe Supreme Court for trial. Mr. Stout. S.M.. was on lhe beneh. Evidence was given by Howard .Mason Smith that when a Iramcar lie

was driving from Hie city to Miramar was turning from Onepu Bond into Coults Street.it was hit a glancing blow by a motor-car which came from Hie east along Coutt.s Streel. Nobody was injured. He did not move on for about 10 minute’s, but no ear driver returned to lhe place. To Mr. W. E. Leicester, who appeared for delendiint, witness said the blow would be sufficient to stun or confuse the ear driver. Stanley James Hazelwood, the conductor, said that after the car collided with the tram it zigzagged on the road and collided with a stationary motorcar.

The owner of Hie motor-car that was hit, George William Stewart, said that though he remained at the place half an hour nobody returned. Matthew Johnson, a passenger in Leipst’s motor-car. said that after the collisions Leipst stopped Hie car in Bay Road. He was dazed and complained that he had hit his head in the collision with the tram. He got out and returned later, saying, “The tram didn't stop; it is no use our stopping.” He and Leipst had been to a party at Rongotai but Leipst was sober. Leipst said complaints had been made that the steering gear of that car was defective. Describing an examination he had made of the car, a constable said he found no steering defect.

Constable Cyril William Naylor said Leipst called at the Taranaki Street Police Station at 7 a..m. next day to claim the car, of which the police had taken charge. He made a statement in which he said that he had two glasses of beer at the parly. The car hit the tram because of some steering defect. After pulling up in Bay Road he did not go back to the scene of the collision but waited there to see if anyone would come along and make inquiries. As no person came he presumed the tram had gone on its way. He drove to town and parked the car in Wakefield Street. In a statement he made to the police later in the morning, be said lie lost his head completely and it must have been due to the bump he had received.

Leipst had only two medium shandies at the party, stated Percy Henry Scott. A charge against accused of negligent driving was adjourned till after the Supreme Court trial.