HUTT ROAD SMASH

Evening Post, Volume CXVII, Issue 62, 14 March 1934, Page 10

HUTT ROAD SMASH

CAR HITS BRIDGE PILLAR

PETTY OFFICER FINED

Following a mishap on the ' Hutt ißoad early this morning, when a motorcar collided with the centre pillar of the overhead bridge 'at Kaiwarra, the driver of the car, Jack Stephens Boyd, a petty officer attached to H.M.S. Diomede, appeared before Mr. E. Page, S.M., at the Magistrate's Court on a ■charge of" being1 found intoxicated in (charge of a motor-car. He pleaded (not guilty. Sub-Inspector Martin said that about 2 o'clock this morning information was received at the Central Police Station that a collision had occurred at- the overhead bridge at Kaiwarra. A constable visited the scene of the accident and found that' the right side of the car had collided with the centre pillar of the bridge. The car had carried on past the bridge and haJ then turned right round. Considerable damage was done to the car, and the accused, who ..was. plainly under the influence of liquor, had to be taken to hospital to ha-ve some stitches put in his head. Three broken glasses were found in the car An-officer from H.M.S. Diomede who appeared for the accused Baid that Boyd-came ashore at 5 p.m. yesterday. He left for-Featherston in his car at 8 p.m., but when he got as far as Kaitoke he decided to return to Wellington. Everything . went, .well- until the crash occurred. The night before, Boyd *ad been on duty all night in the ship, and he was naturally very tired. He did not remember, how the accident had occurred, and thought that -he must have dropped off to sleep. He denied that there was any liquor in the car, and said that the glasses had been in the car for months. .After hearing evidence the Magistrate said that the accused -.7as examined by three police officers and by Dr. Pattie after the accident, and they all expressed the view that he was intoxicated. He thought that the weight of evidence was against the accused, and he would have to be convicted. A fine of £10 was imposed.