New Britain herald., 1929-06-18
DRIVER FINED 50
 FOR RECKLESSNESS
Aftermath of June 2 Accident Heard in NeTilSton Court

Newington. June 1s.-The case of Bernard Watkins of II Dwight street, New Britain. whose car fig ured in m accident in which Mrs. Julia Holmes of New York city and her mother. Mrs. Issac D. Russell of New Britain. were severely injured June was heard before Judge E. Stanley Welles last night in town court.
 Mrs. Holmes testified that she was driving from New Britain to Hart ford at about 3:30 p. m. and traffic was light. When about 500 yards from the intersection west of Willard avenue and Cedar street. Watkins car coming from the rear, crowded her off the road. causing her car to be ditched and wrecked. She stated she was going 25 to 30 miles an hour and Watkins car in the rear at a much faster speed. When parallel to her, his car swerved causing her to run off the road. She claimed that no warning horn was sounded.
 Frank Vim of 42 Beuna Vista avenue, New Britain, saw the acci- dent He stated that Watkinst car was going fast, and it appeared to him that Watkins car struck the running board of the other car.
 Lucille Vim, daughter of Frank Vim, also saw the accident. She testified that Watkins car was zig xagging and appeared to sideswipe Mrs. Holmes car off the road. Winn's car was about 500 feet from the accident and they stated that Watkins car continued on its way to Hartford until stopped by Vim. who told Watkins that they had run Mrs. Holmes car off the road. Wat kins replied that he had done no wrong, and was not aware of an &C., cident. He went back with MT. Vim and assisted the occupants of the wrecked car.
 Constable Arthur Olesen testified that he was called. Mrs. Holmes inside wheels were four feet off the road, which is 19 feet wide at this point. she was travelling on her right side of the road, according to the tracks.
 Constable Floyd Rice corroboratel Constable Olesen.
 Bernard Watkins. the accused man, testified that he was driving from New Britain to Hartford on what is called the Clayton road. He passed several cars. and always drove at 25 to 30 miles an hour. He had never been involved in an accident and denied cutting in. He claimed to have sounded his horn before passing cars. He was halted by Mir. Vim three or four hundred feet from beyond where the accident oc- cured and claimed this was the first information he had of an accident. He had speedometer on his car and knew he was going 25 to 30 miles an hour, he said. When halted by Winn. he passed Winn's car at about IS feet He was cor roborated in his testimony by his brother. Victer Watkins of New Britain.
 Grand Juror Harold Lucas, who prosecuted the case, claimed it was . clear case of reckless driving and that Mrs. Holmes in order to avoid an accident had sacrificed her car.
 Lucas asked for a finding of gull ty to the charge of reckless driving and recommended fine of $50 and costs. Attorney Charles W. Tamu- lonis of New Britain, who repre- sented Watkins, claimed that his l client observed all the rules of the road, no marks of an accident were | found on his car and that he did | not take him to be of the type to run away from an accident, as he | showed no hesitancy in stopping l when Mir. Vim accosted him.