LORRY DRIVER’S DEATH.

Waikato Times, Volume 121, Issue 20283, 27 August 1937, Page 6

LORRY DRIVER’S DEATH.

HEART SEIZURE HAMILTON ROAD ACCIDENT INQUEST AT CAMBRIDGE 1 (Special to Times.) CAMBRIDGE, Thursday. An inquest concerning the death of Mr Stephen Tapp, of Frankton, who was found dead in his overturned lorry on the Haniilton-Cambridge road yesterday afternoon, was held at the Cambridge Courthouse this afternoon before Mr F. W. Platts, coroner. Percival William Smith, an agricultural worker, of Hamilton, said he was driving his car along the road towards Cambridge when he noticed a vehicle approaching about a chain away swerve suddenly towards the left side of the road. It then swerved quickly towards the middle of the road passing deponent’s car with e space of about five feet. He kept his eye on the vehicle as It swerved violently to the left, mounted the grass margin and eareered wildly on until it struck a telegraph pole and capsized. The pole was broken by the Impact. Deponent ran to the vehicle and saw the driver who was the only occupant, imprisoned in the cab. The dri'fP appeared to be dead. The speed of the vehicle when It passed deponent’s car would be approximately 40 miles per hour. From when deponent noticed something was wrong the vehicle travelled about three chains before it hit the pole. It was raining slightly at the time. The vehicle appeared to be out of control. Medical Evidence. Dr. J. W. Bridgman, relieving T)r. H. C. Tod, of Cambridge, said he was called to the scene of the accident and on arrival he found an overturned lorry lying on its side against a telegraph pole. He examined the body and found life to be extinct. There was blood In the ears, nostrils and mouth, which confirmed deponent’s diagnosis of a fracture of the base of the skull. It waa more than sufficient to cause death. Deponent could not detect any sign of alcohol about the body. Judging from his appearance, deponent would say that deceased was a subject of some chronic cardiac condition In life. He noticed the marks made by the vehicle, which appeared to have been out of control for about 100 yards. Cedric Stephen Tapp, son of deceased, identified the body. Witness saw his father at noon on the day of his death. He seemed in his usual state of health, although he appeared to he very tired and was disinclined to talk. Similar evidence was given by Letts Fanny Jane Tapp, daughter of deceased, who stated that her father had not enjoyed good health. Constable C. H. Maisey said he attended at the scene of Die tragedy and described the condition of the truck. No other vehicle was in any way connected with the accident, which took place on a straight stretch of road. The Verdict. The coroner returned a verdiet that deceased died from injuries sustained when the motor truck he was driving collided with a telegraph pole on the Haniilton-Cambridge road. The evidence went to show that owing to what was probably a heart attack deceased lost control of his motor truck and the fatal accident followed. The coroner extended his sympathy with the relatives.