Evan Chritchley Gerhard/Jerard Brenkley

Evan Critchley Brenkley was like a one-man wrecking machine on the roads. The list of infractions, accidents and fatalities he either caused or was responsible for is quite astounding. In September 1932, he nearly drove off the road with his truck but was pulled over by a road crew in time. Apparently he was just working up to things. In November 1933 he was fined for driving a defective lorry. In April 1934 he was charged and fined for excessive loading of a vehicle. In August 1934 Evan was involved in an accident as bystander when his employee William Harvey Richards had a leg amputated as a result of being knocked down by a motorcycle near Herataunga. In October 1934 Evan was charged and fined for driving with faulty brakes. In March his wife Elsie was charged and fined for not having license plates on more than one vehicle. In February 1935 he was again charged and fined for excessive loading of vehicles. In April 1935 Evan was again fined for driving with faulty brakes. Evan’s car hit motorcyclist John Cameron in May 1935 injuring him and the victim was awarded damages for Brenkley’s negligent driving. Evan’s lorry from his business driven by Kenneth Gasside crashed into and killed Alfred Firman in April 1936, Evan was fined in court. In August 1939 a lorry owned by Evan Brenkley and driven by a Mr. Ronald killed Eleanor Irene Stubbs and seriously injured one other near Carterton. In March 1943 Evan knocked down cyclist Isaac John Hardley in Masterton, with his car and killed him. Sept 1944 employee Arthur William Pike died in an accident while driving with Evan as passenger, after crashing into the Pariwhaiti Stream Bridge in Westmere – Evan survived with a broken bone. I am sure I missed a few. With a track record like this over just a fifteen year period of less, it is amazing he was never jailed.

© Darian Zam 2017.