Young drivers warned of the dangers of speed and alcohol at inquest into teen’s crash death

A CORONER has warned young motorists that speeding, drink-driving and failing to wear a seatbelt can kill.

Patrick McGurgan made the comments at the inquest into the death of Colin Archibald, who died from head injuries after losing control of his VW Golf on Feeny Road, outside Dungiven, in the early hours of May 6 last year.

The 19-year-old’s parents, Malachy and Natasha, told Londonderry Coroner’s Court that they “would never get over” the loss of their son, from Drumsurn, Co Londonderry.

They said that with the death of the final-year apprentice electrician, who was “happy all the time, with a big smile on his face”, their “life’s dream had been taken away”.

The court heard that on the night before he died, Mr Archibald had been out at a club in Limavady and had been given a lift back to the home of two friends, Michaela and Megan Young, who lived on Feeny Road.

In her evidence, Michaela Young said when they arrived at her home she and Mr Archi- bald, as well as the driver of the car that collected them from the club, stayed outside chatting. At around 3am another friend, Lee Curley, joined them.

Ms Young said she asked Mr Curley to take her to a friend’s house, but on the way his van was damaged going over a ramp.

Ms Young told the court she had “a feeling” Mr Archibald was going to drive and that scared her, so she asked Mr Curley to find him.

But while they were on Feeny Road, Mr Archibald passed them in his car, which had a modified suspension, driving at “around 80 miles an hour”, according to Ms Young.

She said they tried to catch up, but Mr Archibald was too fast.

They saw his car “swerve from side to side” before going through a hedge and into a field.

Mr Curley drove past the scene

Colin Archibald, whose car was doing an average of 87mph when it left the road. Right, his funeral in Drumsurn

of the crash before turning and driving back. When he got out of his car, he saw Mr Archibald had “a serious head injury”.

He tried shaking him, but he was already dead.

Mr Curley said he left Mr Archibald and returned to his vehicle, where he asked Ms Young to ring the emergency services.

They left the scene and drove up the Feeny Road a short distance before returning, then left to go to Ms Young’s home to collect her sister and a friend.

Mr Archibald’s mother asked Mr Curley why he did not stay with her son, saying “he was your friend and you left him to die. You never stayed there — it

doesn’t make sense”. The Coroner also asked Mr Curley why he did not ring for an ambulance when he was at Mr Archibald’s car and why he did not stay when “you knew that he was dead or dying”.

Mr Curley said he did not know why he had not stayed, but he also accepted that he should have.

A forensic scientist who examined CCTV footage established that Mr Archibald was driving at an average speed of 87mph before the incident.

Evidence suggested he was not wearing a seatbelt at the time.

Mr McGurgan said he wanted drivers, especially young people, to be under no illusion about the heartbreak Mr Archibald’s family had endured since his death.

He added: “What happened to Colin could happen to you if you get into a car with no seatbelt, drive at excess speed and over the alcohol limit for driving.

“It is human nature to try and find blame, but the only thing I can say is no one made Colin get into his car with drink — almost twice the legal limit — and drive at excess speed.

“People must understand their responsibilities when they get behind a wheel.”