DUE TO SHOCK

Sun (Auckland), Volume II, Issue 616, 19 March 1929, Page 13

DUE TO SHOCK

MOTORIST S CONDITION AFTER SMASH CHARGE DISMISSED “After hearing the evidence for the defence I am convinced that it would be unsafe to infer intoxication from symptoms that could be otherwise explained.” With this comment Mr. IC. C. Cutten, S.M., dismissed a charge of beingintoxicated in charge of a motor vehicle preferred against Robert Quedley at the Police Court yesterday. Quedley pleaded not guilty through Mr. Allan Moody. Constable Murray, who had been summoned to the scene of a motor accident in Symonds Street, near St. Paul’s Church, on March <5, said that when he took Quedley to the Police Station to make a statement the man had lurched in liis walk. His speech \\ as thick and witness had smelled drink on him. ‘Pie was certainly not in a lit condition to drive a car” concluded the constable. Sergeant Anniss, who was also present at the scene of tlie accident, considered that Quedley was thick in liis speech and stammering when trying to explain how tlie mishap occurred. Accoi-dlner to Senior - Sergeant O Grady, Quedley had admitted having one pony beer during the day. He was incoherent in liis speech and smelled strongly of liquor. He had explained Ins unsteady gait by saying that liis Jett leg was shorter than his right. “Later on J again asked him which was tlip short leg and he said the right,” continued tlie senior-sergeant amid laughter. Counsel regretted having to disagree with the police, but denied that the man was intoxicated. He had been working hard all day and liad had only one pony beer. Quedley said that his short leg made him roll in his walk. He described the accident and said that he was watching a child running across the road and, having to swerve outward to avoid two motor-trucks that were in front of him, collided with a polo in tlie centre of tlie road. Mr. Pascoe, who was with Mr. Quedley all day, considered that he was quite sober. Witness liad certainlv not hesitated to drive with him and was in the car at the time of tlie accident. Mr. Williams, a motor mechanic, did not blame the police for arresting Quedlcy as they could be quite easily taken in. “Air. Quedley always looks drunk even in the morning,” lie said. Witness said that Quedley always lurched in liis walk and was thick in his speech. According to Dr. W. IT. Parkes, Quedley was a nervous and excitable man and his condition when arrested was entirely due to shock. “I have seen a man who was a life-long abstainer behave exactly like a drunken man after a motor accident,” commented witness.