MOTOR FATALITY.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XLVIII, Issue 3526, 19 August 1926, Page 3

MOTOR FATALITY.

INQUEST ON' VICTIM. EVIDENCE OF CAR-DRIVER. FOURTEEN DRINKS AND SOBER? Palmerston North, August 18. An inquest was held this morning concerning the circumstances surrounding the death of Robert Nelson Ingle, of Feilding, a labourer, aged 53 years, who died in the Palmerston North Hospital on August 12th, consequent on injuries received through being knocked down by a car on Aorangi road, Feilding, on the previous evening. In evidence, Charles Ingle said that he and the ‘deceased were walking along Aorangi road between 5.30 and 6 p.m., well on the correct side of the road, being off the bitumen, when witness was knocked down from behind without any warning, by all approaching car. Both were sent to the hospital. During the afternoon both had had several drinks. The driver of the car, Frank Winton Lethbridge, a farmer, of Waituna, said that his car was well on the correct side of the road. At the lime of the accident he was travelling at 20 miles per hour. The visibility was bad. Just prior to the accident there had been two ears approaching from the direction of Palmerston North, and witness had pulled over further to the left-hand side, striking deceased and his brother some little distance further on. One light on the car had not been burning, as it was out of order. Asked how many drinks he had had that day, witness replied: “Seven beers in the morning, and seven whiskies in the afternoon.” The coroner: “At 5.30 you say you were perfectly sober?” Witness: “Yes.” Witness stated that the lights of the first approaching car had greatly affected his vision, almost blinding him. Further evidence given was to the effect that Lethbridge was perfectly sober at the time of the' accident. This was supported by Constable Pike. The coroner’s verdict was that the deceased met his death through being-knocked down by a motorcar driven by Lethbridge.