The Key West citizen., 1954-08-25
FAILURE OF
CONTINUED From Page One

Justice of the Peace Hamlin sal0
the two sailors were witnesses only
in that they identified the body o.
the crash victim, Sheila Perrin .
20-year-old Navy wife.
States Charge
The state had charged mat
Drake was driving the car in which
Mrs. Perrin was riding when the
car overturned, crushing her.
Roper further charged that the
dismissal Of the charge against
Drake was the result Of undue de-
lay on the part Of the Navy in
turning Drake over 10 the SheriHs
Department"
The department and the Navy
had engaged in week-long hassls
over the surrender Of Drake.
The Navy claimed it could not
release Drake to civil authorities
unless those authorities agreed to
return the prisoner to, the Navy at
no expense to the Federal govern
ment.
The sheriffs department said It
had no authority to sign such an
agreement.
Navy Gives In
The Navy finally eapitulatsd and
surrendered Drake.
In his testimony at yesterdays
hearing, Roper said he questioned
Drake at $3.50 =. m. on June ,,
about nine hours after the ear Ov-
erturned.
At that time, Roper testified,
Drake made the following admis-
SiOnS:
That he was driving the ear;
that he knew the speed limit in
that section Of the road was 10
miles per hour because the road
was under construction there; and
that he was driving about 90 miles
per hour.
Hamlin Present
Justice OF the Peace Hamnn was
present at the Navy hospital at
that time.
Since Mrs. Teriestram did not
appear ct the hearing, the only
witness who saw the crash was
Carl williams, another sailor.
He testified that he and Drake
met the girls in different cars,
that the party stopped at . Stock
Island grocery and bought cookies
and soda pop and then bought q
bottle at 4 Stock Island bar.
He said they drove in the two
cars to Marathon where they ate
hamburgers and drank coffee.
One Mere Drink
1--WE had one drink after We
crossed Bahia Honda Bridge" he
said.
He further testified that at Ba-
hia Honda, Drake and Sheila had
an argument. They got the blan-
kets and put them in the car. Shei-
la asked Us 10 take her daughter
back in our car"
Williams went On TO say mat he
saw "Sheila get in the ear Cn the
drivers side.''
william also said mat he saw q
head out the window Of the car IN
which Sheila was riding and that
the car xig-Eagged just before the
crash.
Bob YoumanS, acting county soh-
citor, asked williams who was
driving the car in which Sheila
was riding when TIE car left Ba-
hia Honda.
Mt 8vro e. Driver
s'T don't know" Williams replied.
81 couldn't tell who was driving.
Youmans asked williams whose
head he had seen out the window
of the drivers side Of the car.
williams said he could not Aen-
dfy the head.
Ihe way things add up > COOS
like she was driving the car" WI
iams said. That's my opinion. "
''Is that your final statement?"
Youmans asked.
That Is my final statement
Williams replied.
Earlier in the hearing, II. Dan
iel w. Johnston, Medical Corps,
USN, testified that he went to Sad
die Bunch Key where the accident
occurred and found the woman PIN
ned under the overturned car. He
said she was dead and that be re-
turned to the diSpensaFy TO treat
Drake.
Dostor oUossionod
Youmans asked DR.. Johnston Il
he had heard Drake say he was
driving the ear.
The doctor said Be did not fe.
call Drake making an admission
about driving.
81 believe he said he was N the
car" DR.. Johnston said.
Youmans said he diSagreed on
the move for dismissal but that
81 viii not make any recommen-
dations 70 the court"
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