JD wrote:
Eastwood Advertiser
May 11, 2007
TEEN DEATH CRASH
A TEENAGE electrician died after being hit by a taxi as he walked home from a night out with friends.
Derby Coroners Court last week heard Grant Anthony Flint, 19, of Chestnut Drive, Nuthall, had been drinking with friends in Ripley last August when they became separated.
He was walking along the unlit northbound carriageway of the A38, between Ripley and Alfreton, when he was hit by a red Peugeot 406 estate taxi. He died at the scene. Mr Flint's lifelong friend Luke Musgrove told the inquest they had visited six or seven pubs in Ripley on August 26. He said Mr Flint - who was dressed head to toe in black - had drunk more than usual and, once in the Regal nightclub, he had begun to fall asleep and they were asked to leave.
In the three minutes Mr Musgrove left his friend at the door to find their companions, Mr Flint disappeared. CCTV images show him leaving the club at 1.11am and what is believed to be Mr Flint later crossing two junctions. It is believed he may have taken the wrong route home before realising his mistake and retracing his steps back along the carriageway.
Taxi driver Gary Burgin was taking two passengers from Ripley to Mansfield via the A38 when the accident happened at 2.55am. He said he tried to swerve as soon as he spotted Mr Flint but he couldn't avoid him. He estimated his speed at 65mph.
Police collision investigator PC Kenneth Osbourne told the inquest the car windscreen had been smashed on the nearside and the passenger window was broken. There were also scuff marks and a dent on the roof, consistent with the nearside hitting a pedestrian. A separate report stated there were no mechanical defects that would have contributed to the accident.
Dr Andrew Hitchcock, consultant pathologist for the Derby group of hospitals, found the cause of death to be multiple injuries, predominantly on the left side of the body. A toxicology report revealed Mr Flint was twice the drink-drive limit. The blood ethanol level of 164mg showed he had drunk alcohol several hours before he died, but had stopped. There were also traces of ecstacy and prior use of cannabis.
Dr Hitchcock said: "The effect of alcohol combined with ecstacy and cannabis varies: even when taken with alcohol, it can cause a state of apparent alertness. But it's possible it may have rendered him confused or disorientated." Recording a verdict of accidental death, coroner Peter Ashworth said: "This is a very tragic story of a young man who, from witness statements that spoke highly of him, was a devoted son and an excellent friend.
"What started off as a Saturday evening out finished in tragedy.
"There's no doubt that Grant had got a high level of alcohol in his boodstream and I think that would have been sufficient to have confused him as to the route to follow back home. "I fully accept what the investigating officers have said that, on an unlit road with a high tree line and wearing dark clothing, it was impossible for the driver to have avoided an accident."
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A Tragic accident
Once or twice i have in a split second narrowly avoided the same situation as have most of us i suppose.This sends a message out to new drivers to always whatch the road ahead and do not get too distracted by your punters.Condolences to the lads family
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