AFTER THE COLLISION.

Shannon News, 25 August 1925, Page 2

AFTER THE COLLISION.

MOTORIST FINED FOR DANGEROUS DRIVING. A young man named William Slater Gardner was charged before Mr J. I>. Stout, S.M., at the Palmerstan N. Magistrate's Court, yesterday, that on June 13 he did drive a motor car in a manner dangerous to the public, driviiig without a license, driving while drank and failing to report an accident. Mr Cooper appeared for defendant, who pleaded guilty to the charge of having no license* but nOft guilty to the other counts. In outlining the ease for the prosecution, Senior-Sergeant O'Grady said that on the night of June 13 a hoy was driving a gig on the road from Shannon at seven o'clock. He had lights, and was travelling on his correct side. Defendant's car then came along at a good pace on the wrong side, and a collision occurred. The boy was thrown out of the trap and had his arm injured. Defendant pulled up the car and was found to be under the influence of liquor, as were other passengers he had with him in. the vehicle. "Defendant failed to report the accident. This was supported in evidence by •John Crensfeldt, aged 17, of Shannon, the lad concerned in the accident. William Henry Robinson, labourer, and Thomas H. Ingle, of Shannon, gave evidence of having been attracted to the scene of the accident, when those in defendant's car appeared to be more or less under the influence of liquor. Evidence w;;s also heard from Constable Blakev to the effect that he interviewed defendant, when the latter made a statement in which he said there were no lights on ' the trap, which were not damaged. He said lie was not raider the influence of liquor, but witness, said that an hour after the accident he, found defendant, slightly under the influence of liquor. Witness also found the trap to be damaged. . For the defence, M.r Cooper said that not every one who drove on the wrong side of the road did so in a manner dangerous to the public. Mr Stout: 'lhe boy constitutes one . of the public. Counsel, in continuing, said there was not sufficient evidence of intoxication, and as regards the charge of not reporting the accident, it was only necessary to do so when a person" was injured. The Bench dismissed these two latter charges, with the result that only one remained, that of driving in a manner dangerous to the public. After the luncheon adjournment, although due to call his evidence, Mr Cooper intimated that he did not propose carrying tiie case any further. He would like to point out in the matter of the penalty,-that this was not a case of an inexperienced driver, defendant having handled a car for five years, Senior-Sergeant O'Grady said that defendant had been convicted of driving a car on the footpath; he seemed to lake charge of the town from what the Sergeant could see. On the count of driving in a dangerous manner, defendant was fined £5, and cases £4 5s Sd, and on the charge of having no licence a fine •of 10s and costs 13s was imposed.