CAR'S FATAL PLUNGE

Hawke's Bay Herald-Tribune, Issue 82, 23 April 1937, Page 5

CAR'S FATAL PLUNGE

Telegraph— Press AsBoclation.)

Inquiry Into Rangiotu Accident , POLICE COMMENDED

(By

PALMERSTON N., This Day. "I have no difficulty whatsoever in arriving at the verdict that the deceased met his death at Rangiotu by accidental drowning by the car going off the highway into the Oroua river," said the coroner, Mr Graham, at the inquest into the death of Mr Arthur Ernest Sexton, aged 57, farmer, of Himatangi, whose car made a sensational, fatal plunge into the river at about midnight on March 23. _ 4 'The difficulty is to determine how the car left the road. It is impossible to say exactly what happened as it approached the bridge. For some unknown reason the car left the road, carcer ea inadly across country and hnished upside down in the river." The Magistrate commended the police for their thorough and painstaking efforts. He thougiht they were wise in desisting their efforts until daylight when all hope of eaving life had been abandoned. The police evidence given by Constable Ohapn)an showed that extensive ' inquirieg had been made' with a view to ascertaining Mr Sexton' s movements that day; but the last person who saw him alivt was a Foxton resident after 11 p.jii. There was a suggestion that two otl-er persons migbt have been wirh ■'be deceased, hui they had not bien cr.!»eaInc pector Cummings in evidence said that the road at the bridge had a sharp eurve at ' the end of the inciiUe. The probable cause of the accident was the driver gping to sleep and the car getting out' of control. Sydney Harris, labourer, of Foxton, said he was talking to the deceased at 11 pum. on March 23. In the car was a bottle of beer, of .which the deceased consuined some and then. left, going towards Foxton. The deceased was qtiite sober and fit to drive a car.