SEQUEL TO COLLISION

Waikato Times, Volume 119, Issue 19903, 4 June 1936, Page 2

SEQUEL TO COLLISION

l NEGLIGENT DRIVER FINED.‘ l l i OHMIOI 0F INTOXICATION. l l {Times Representative). ‘ i TE AWAMUTL’. Wednesday. 1 Charges of being intoxicated while in charge of a motor vehicle on the Punlu Road and of negligent drixing were preferred against Leicester li. Bell in the Te Awamutu Magistrate‘s Court to-day. Mr F. iii Levien was on the Bench. Defendant was represented by Mr J. Oilphant. Conducting the case {or the police. Constable J. Forsyth said the alleged offence had occurred on race day. when defendant was on his wait to Pokoru. About l 1 mile from Te Awamuiu his car had collided with another vehicle and aftm- the accident it had been found that defendant was under the influence to liquor. ‘ Benjamin ii. Rudden said that on May it. he was driving towards Te Awnmutu and was keeping well over to his own side of the rond. Defend—ant's car had struck his and had twisted it i'ißilt round In the road. There was room for thrrc cars on the road and his car “as wvil over on the correct side. In Band Condition. After the collision defendant hld stopped his car and had asked witness what his car was doing on the wrong si-li‘ or the road. to which witness hart replied that the impact had slewcd his \chlrlc across the road. Defendant had seemed to he in a dazed condition and witness had smelt liquor on him after the accident. it had been impossible to reason with him—he had not seemed normal. in reply to 4 question witness said he had not looked into Bell‘s car. Corrobomtive evidence was given by Ronald Young and E. ii. Wallace Bud—den. two occupants in the previous witness' car. Raymond Grigg said he had been attrlcted by the sound of a crash and had expected to see the cars on their sides. Defendant seemed to be all right when witness had seen him. and although he had had some liquor he .wns not drunk. The charge of intoxication was dismissed. Dotondnnt's prlnnntlon. In evidence the defendant said that he was s farm hand employed at Pokoru. and at the time or the accident ‘he had been returning home with his wife and child from a visit. to the races. He had had one bottle or stout at 5.30 pm. and had left town at 7.30 pm. When he was approaching Budden's car his wife had said that he should slow up on account of the dazzling headlights. He was doing so when the crash occurred. The back seat had come forward suddenly and had struck him and his wife on the head. this accounting for his dazed condition. He had reported the accident to the Ham—ilton police the next day. in reply to Constable Forsyth defendant said that he had gone immediately after the accident because he had to get home to milk the cows and hefguse his wife and child were getting co . The magistrate fined Bell 50s and costs. lie added that if Bell hadl thought Buddcn's car was In that wrong he. should have waited until the l arrival of the police. ' i