MOTORIST EXONERATED

Waikato Times, Volume 125, Issue 20991, 19 December 1939, Page 10

MOTORIST EXONERATED

DEATH OF PEDESTRIAN ACCIDENT AT OHINEWAI (Special to Times) HUNTLY, Monday A finding that William Alexander Coppard died at Ohinewai on December 11 from concussion of the * brain when he collided with a motor i car driven by Henry Herbert Silver- « ton, was returned by the district ! coroner, Mr F. Harris, at the conclusion of the inquest held at Huntly to- ' day. i Mr Harris added that deceased at i the time was considerably under the influence of liquor and had consumed ; a considerable amount during the i day. Silverton had done everything to avoid the accident and the j car was not travelling at an exces- • sive speed. , Henry Herbert Silverton, manager ■ of Dominion Motors Limited, of . Hamilton, stated that shortly before 8.30 p.m. he was approaching Ohine- , wai township and about 200 yards on , the north side of the intersection he was involved in an accident in which William Alexander Coppard was killed. The section of the road was straight. It had been raining and ; the bitumen was black and wet but visibility was clear. He was driving : about 30 to 35 miles an hour on the correct side of the road. Instantaneous Death After dipping his lights for an oncoming car he put them on full and observed a man near the crown of the road threa or four feet on the far side and about a chain or so ahead. He appeared to be lurching in a drunken fashion and witness slowed down and veered slightly to the left expecting to pass him. Suddenly deceased lurched more forward just as witness reached him and was struck by the right head-lamp. Witness got out of the car and found deceased lying in front of the ! car near the edge of the bitumen on ! the opposite side of the road. He j had been killed instantaneously. Witness immediately communicated with the police and the doctor. Witness said the man apparently had bottles of beer in his pocket as broken fragments were found in his pocket and there was a strong smell of beer. Evidence of identification was given by a brother of deceased, Sidney i Charles Coppard, of Tauwhare. Dr. A. B. Jameson, of Huntly. gave evidence of examining deceased.