Car 'fishtailed' out of control after hitting potholes, inquest told

Friday, 11 March 2011 12:43

A 19-year-old student was killed after the 'dangerously defective' car in which he was a passenger 'fishtailed' and careered into two pillars and a wall at Station Road, Foxford, in September 2009, an inquest has been told.
The inquest into the death of Michael Bell from Aughaward, Toomore, Foxford, was conducted at Ballina courthouse on Wednesday last by the acting coroner for north Mayo, Dr. Eleanor Fitzgerald.
Mr. Bell had been a rear seat passenger in a car driven by Fionn Hughes from Callow, Foxford, which crashed at Station Road, Foxford, in the early hours of September 26,. 2009. He had not been wearing a seatbelt at the time. There were three other young people in the car at the time, including the driver.
The victim had been flung out of the car and dragged along the road.
Death would have been instantaneous from multiple soft tissue and skeletal injuries, the hearing was told.
Mr. Bell was one of five friends who travelled in Fionn Hughes's car to Pontoon and the group were returning to Foxford when the accident took place.

Following the accident, Fionn Hughes, the driver, was found to have an alcohol level twice the legal limit.
Garda P.J. Clarke (Foxford) said when he arrived at the scene at 1.05 a.m. he saw a green Opel Vectra car across the road. There was extensive damage to the right rear. There were two casualties lying on the grass verge.
Witness said the first youth was covered with a blanket and he (garda) could see the injuries were serious. The second youth on the ground was able to talk.
Garda Clarke said he spoke to the driver of the car, Fionn Hughes, who told him he had hit bumps and lost control.

Michael Bell was pronounced dead at the scene at 1.32 a.m.
During cross-examination by the Coroner, Garda Clarke explained that Fionn Hughes had been prosecuted in the Circuit Court as a result of the accident and he had pleaded guilty to dangerous driving.
He had been given a suspended prison sentence and 240 hours community service.
Garda Clarke said when he spoke to Fionn Hughes on October 5 he admitted not having insurance on the night.
In a report read to the inquest, Sergeant Gabriel McLoughlin, PSV Inspector, said the car had been in a dangerously defective condition.
The report outlined the offside front tyre was worn and the safety catch for a seatbelt was not secure.
The vehicle collided with a pillar and knocked a wall seven metres inward and then collided with a second pillar.

In a statement read to the inquest by Superintendent Peter O'Boyle, Fionn Hughes said the road had been quiet as they were returning from Pontoon.
They had not been going fast, about 50 to 60 miles per hour. He knew there were bumps on the road.
Witness said the car 'fishtailed' after hitting the second bump. "I tried to control it when it fishtailed but I couldn't."
Witness said what happened was 'all a blur'. There was no NCT on the car and no insurance. He would describe himself as a fairly competent driver, fit to take the test.
Mr. Gerry Quinn, a resident of Station Road, Foxford, said he had been wakened by a loud bang, what sounded like a shot from a gun. His wife said there had been an accident.
He heard voices and roaring and screaming.

Questioned by the coroner, Mr. Quinn said the road was a bad one. There were lots of bumps especially after the railway station.
"It was a scene I would not like to witness again," witness stated. "It lives with you for a long, long time."
Ms. Kayleigh Burden, a passenger in the crashed vehicle, said they had gone to her house in Pontoon as she wanted a change of clothes and they were driving to Foxford when the accident took place.
Ms. Burden, who said she was a nervous passenger, said they were doing 'enormous speed' at the time of the crash. They had hit bumps and the car swerved. When she opened her eyes there was no one in the car but her.

In his autopsy report, Dr. Fadel Bennani, consultant pathologist at Mayo General Hospital, said death was due to multiple soft tissue and skeletal injuries due to a road traffic accident.
After returning a verdict of accidental death in accordance with the medical evidence, the foreperson of the jury, Michael Caples, said there were a number of aspects to the case including the fact the car was defective, the vehicle was travelling too fast, the driver had drank too much and had not been wearing a seatbelt.

At the conclusion of the hearing, the coroner, Dr. Fitzgerald, said that speed and the fact the vehicle was not roadworthy were major factors in the accident. In this day and age it was unbelievable there were defective vehicles on our roads.
The coroner expressed her deepest sympathy with the Bell family on their loss.
Superintendent O'Boyle, on behalf of the Garda Síochána, joined in the expressions of sympathy and pointed out it had been a particularly tragic accident involving close friends.