FATAL SECOND

NZ Truth, Issue 1108, 24 February 1927, Page 7

FATAL SECOND

. . — + __ Did Faigan Swerve Too Soon ? (From "N.Z. Truth's" Special Dunedin Rep.) Ashley George Faigan, a young Dunedin man, is to face his trial on a charge of manslaughter. TRAGEDY stalked along Forbury A Corner in -broad daylight on December 30. A woman's scream, the crash of a car and it was all over. The body of a man lay still on the road. A few yards further along a motor-car, driven by Faigan, had come to a standstill against a water-trough. The inquest disclosed that on the morning of December 30 Faigan and a companion were returning from St. Clair, where they had met two. young ladies whom they were taking home. ' v When rounding Forbury,; Corner a man- named eNeil Gauld stepped off the footpath on to the road. He evidently saw the car, hesitated, moved forward and then paused a second time. Then Fate stepped m. At the psychological moment, when the unfortunate' man moved forward again—evidently thinking he could cross safe-ly-^Faigan is stated to have accelerated m order to pass him, swerving out-, wards.. \ The inevitable followed. Several witnesses saw .-. the J crash. After a lengthy inquest, the coroner said' he regretted he could only conclude that the accident was one that should have — and could haye — been avoided had reasonable care been 'exercised. In finding that Gauld had died from fracture of the skull and 'laceration of the brain through being knocked down by a motor-car driven by ' Ashley George Faigan, he directed the police to take proceedings against the driver of the car ; • Faigan was later charged at a sitting of. the Police Court with manslaughter. The case was adjourned,