Inquest hears of cycle death

AN ELDERLY Anglesey man showed remorse after his car collided with a Moira man who was on a charity bicycle ride.

Huw Edwards, 85, of Bryngwran, told an inquest in Caernarfon that he did not know how he failed to notice Gareth Crockett, 27, from Moira, who died instantly after his spinal cord was severed in the collision on the A55 eastbound near Rhostrehwfa, Wales.

“My condolences to the family of the deceased, I am very sorry and I wish I could turn the clock back,” he said.

The inquest heard that Mr Crockett and four other cyclists started out from Holyhead at around 9.30am on April 13 on a ride to Welshpool, as part of a charity cycle and marathon from Dublin to London.

The cyclists had been riding for around an hour and travelling at around 15mph when the collision occurred.

Fellow cyclist Thomas Bereridge said: “The first thing I was aware of was a loud, sudden bang.

“The next thing I remember seeing was debris in the road and Gareth flying over the top of us and landing about five or 10 metres ahead.”

North west Wales coroner Dewi Pritchard Jones heard from the police that the cyclists wore brightly coloured clothing and would have been visible to Mr Edwards, who was travelling at around 50mph, for up to a kilometre before the collision.

“It appears that he ran up the back of the bike. Mr Crockett was thrown onto the bonnet of the car, and then thrown forward by the momentum onto the road’s surface, and finished up with an injury that caused his death,” Mr Pritchard Jones said.

Mr Edwards continued until the next layby before he and his wife Mabel stopped to call the emergency services.

Recording a narrative verdict, Mr Pritchard Jones’ said: “The deceased died as a result of being struck from behind by a car being driven in an inconsiderate manner by an elderly driver whose driving abilities are questionable.”