Drugs may have contributed to fatal incident involving carpenter

A talented carpenter who was killed when the car he was driving went up in flames may have lost control of the vehicle due to the presence of cocaine and antidepressants in his system, an inquest has heard.

Karl Cullen (34), from Rockfield, Milehouse, Enniscorthy, Co Wexford, died two years ago from carbon monoxide poisoning after the Volkswagen Touareg he was driving veered onto the wrong side of the road, “glanced off a tree” and went on fire.

Mr Cullen, who was a popular member of his local community, ran a hugely successful bespoke kitchen business and regularly appeared on RTÉ’s Room to Improve. Presenter Dermot Bannon was among the many people to pay tribute to the young Wexford man, describing him as an “all-round wonderful soul”.

The inquest into his death heard how the tragic incident unfolded on the R744 in Clonhaston at around 7. 30pm on May 29, 2022. While the level of smoke inhalation ultimately led to his death, investigators tried to determine what caused the vehicle to go on fire in the first place. A forensic collision investigator said the level of impact with the tree was “highly unlikely to be a factor in the fire” as it was a minor collision.

A toxicology report showed there was a concoction of drugs in his system which may have contributed to the accident, Wexford Coroner’s Court was told.

Locals in the area desperately attempted to get Mr Cullen out of the car before it caught fire, but all the doors were locked. Some used bricks to try to smash in the windows in an attempt to save Mr Cullen’s life.

Witness Joan Joyce recalled how she was at home in her front sitting room with her husband and son when she suddenly heard “an engine revving on the road outside”. She looked out the window and her son said he thought there was a car stuck in the ditch.

Ms Joyce rushed out of the house and climbed over her front wall. When she approached the vehicle, it was “revving really loudly and the wheels were spinning”.

She said the driver’s head was down, his chin was against his chest and it “looked like he was frothing from his mouth”.

Ms Joyce said it was “like he was having a fit or something”.

“I started banging on the front passenger window but couldn’t get any response,” she told the inquest.

“I continued to bang on the window and tried to open all the doors but they were all locked. My son came out and tried to get into the jeep. My other son got a brick from the garden and tried to break the side window to get the man out of the car. The car was still revving at this time. I then noticed a fire coming from underneath the jeep, it looked like it was travelling from underneath the gear stick area.”

Ms Joyce immediately called emergency services.

At this point, there was a lot of smoke coming from the vehicle. Another man at the scene managed to break the back window, but the fire became so intense “we all had to get away”, she said.

Witness Ivanna Yates told the inquest how she was driving home from a trip to Kilkenny with her daughter when she met a white vehicle coming towards her on the R744.

She moved to avoid it, but the other vehicle didn’t swerve and “just kept heading towards the ditch”.

Ms Yates pulled in on the road, turned on her hazard lights and headed back towards the vehicle.

“The car went on fire almost straight away in split seconds and there was a lot of traffic backing up,” she said.

“All the doors were closed and locked. I could see men trying to open the doors.”

Ms Yates said the car wasn’t travelling fast and “just veered off the road”.

“There was a calmness to it all. There wasn’t speed involved”.

She said the fire appeared to have started from underneath the car.

Gda Tom Bolger, a forensic collision investigator from Wexford Garda Station, said the nature of the impact would not be consistent with causing a fatal injury or starting a fire as it was a “moderate glancing impact”.

Gda Bolger said the Volkswagen had “travelled erratically” for around 257 metres before the collision. It came to a complete stop 15 metres after hitting the tree.

“At an unknown stage the Volkswagen went on fire and completely burnt out,” he said.

The autopsy report showed Mr Cullen died from carbon monoxide poisoning. A toxicology report found cocaine and a variety of anti-anxiety and antidepressant medications in his system.

He said the effects of the substances may have to be considered as a possible contributory factor in the incident.

Gda Bolger said the cause of the vehicle fire could not be established as the damage was so significant. It could not be determined where – or how - the fire started.

Coroner Dr Sean Nixon asked Mr Cullen’s family if he had any history of epilepsy or seizures. His family said he did not.

Dr Nixon said “he may have suffered some form of a seizure” due to the drugs in his system, which could have caused him to lose consciousness.

He said the engine revving and wheels spinning was of “possible significance” as it may have indicated there was pressure being applied to the accelerator when he was in the ditch.

“I have seen this happen where someone gets a seizure and their foot goes onto the accelerator,” Dr Nixon said.

“The drugs in his system may have altered his ability to control the vehicle. The fact there was some foaming at his mouth may indicate a seizure, but we can’t confirm this.”

Dr Nixon gave a verdict of medical misadventure.

He said this was “mainly due to the possibility that the drugs in his system may have altered his ability to control the vehicle”.

He offered his condolences to Mr Cullen’s family and friends on the loss of “such a young person in such a tragic way”.

Mr Cullen was the eldest of three sons. He played for Shamrocks GAA Club in Enniscorthy, with his clubmates describing him as a “fantastic sportsman”.

Following his death, RTÉ’s Dermot Bannon paid tribute to his “unbelievably talented” colleague.

“He played a huge part on Room to Improve over the years, creating some of the most beautiful joinery,” he said.

“He was a fantastic problem solver, enthusiastic collaborator and an all-round wonderful soul.

“Heartbroken for his parents Karl and Annette, his Brothers Darren and Diarmuid and all his family.”

His close friends described him as incredible, kind, sensitive and nostalgic.

Friend Mick Weaver told his funeral Mass how he was a very protective older brother who took this role “very, very seriously”.

“He was competitive and he believed in his skills and his competitiveness,” he said.

“He had such a drive to succeed. School sports days were taken as seriously as the Olympics. There was never a finish line, he was always onto the next challenge.

“Mixing with the best in the business on RTÉ’s Room to Improve, putting in kitchens in homes worth more than a million, he never lost touch with his baseline and showed empathy with each individual, often making kitchens at a loss because he demanded perfection.”