MOTOR CYCLE FATALITY

Evening Star, Issue 19800, 25 February 1928, Page 5

MOTOR CYCLE FATALITY

HIGH SPEED THE CAUSE The inquest on Laurence Fillingham, who died on February 1(5 in the hospital as the result of injuries received through his motor cycle colliding with an ice cream van on the Highway, was concluded'yesterday afternoon. Mr H. W. Bundle, S.M.. sat as coroner, and Sergeant' Gilligan represented the police. Walter Ilawlinsoii Spratt, in continuing his evidence, said that as deceased’s cycle struck the van he put up his right hand; the impact threw him forward, and his head hit the van. The accident was due to the speed at which deceased was travelling. Witness had seen him often on the road before; he sometimes travelled fast and sometimes slow. Deceased and himself were not racing at any stage. Henry Barton, carpenter, residing at Harbor terrace, said that on the morning of the accident he was in the Highway about 40ft on the north side of the intersection. He was walking, with his son towards the city. Personally, ho was dull of hearing, but his attention was drawn to a motor cycle coming up towards the station. To his idea it was travelling at a very high rate of speed. Ho saw the ice cream van. which was coming very cautiously from the harbor side across the intersection. He said to his son “ He’s got it.” The accident happened in a Hash. In his judgment the cycle did not slacken speed and the rider did not seem to change his course, the machine appearing to be out of control in that respect. The driver appeared to him to bo looking to see that everything was clear; he was driving very carefully. Witness did not see Spratt or anyone else in the way of cyclists. When the 'accident happened ho rushed to deceased’s assistance and rendered first aid, a subject which lie had formerly studied. The fatality came as no surprise to him, because deceased was in the habit of travelling Fast. The van wsa slightly over halfway across the street when it was struck. The Coroner, after summing np Hie evidence, slated that there was one cause only of the accident, and it was the very high speed at which deceased was riding his cycle, which was out of control as far as dealing _ with traffic was concerned. The finding was that deceased died at the hospital from head injuries caused by being accidentally thrown from his motor cycle on the Highway on the same day. No possible blame could be attached to the driver of the ice cream van. fn a case of this nature, when the driver was involved in such an accident, he deserved every sympathy, for all the evidence went to prove lie was driving carefully. _ The coroner said he was sorry for him as well as for the relatives of the deceased.