Cornish Guardian (St. Austell & Fowey)
‘Great and careful’ motorcyclist was killed in head-on collision with lorry
AMOTORSPORTS enthusiast who was “fast on the track and safe on the road” died in a motorcycle accident last summer, an inquest has heard.
William Frost, 39, known as Will, died instantly in the collision on his way to work.
He was riding on the B3274, between Roche and Stenalees, when his recently purchased Kawasaki collided with a lorry after he pulled out to overtake a van.
An inquest at Cornwall Coroner’s Court in Truro on April 2 was told he was a kind young man, a keen rally driver and Formula 1 fan, but passionate about road safety.
On August 1 he was on his way to work, riding from Roche towards Stenalees, when his motorcycle collided with a lorry coming in the opposite direction.
An investigation, which included clear dashcam footage, found the HGV driver had been travelling on the correct side of the road.
Fewer than two seconds elapsed between Will’s motorcycle becoming visible to the lorry driver and the moment of impact.
A police report described crash as “sadly inevitable”.
PC Melissa Innis, a forensic collision investigator, said she had found nothing wrong with the road surface or either of the vehicles.
The speed of the motorcycle could not be determined from any evidence at the scene, she said.
Emma Hillson, assistant coroner for Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly, said: “On the balance of probability the collision was caused by the manoeuvre performed by Will in an attempt to overtake the van he was following without having a clear view of the road ahead of him, which put him into the path of the oncoming HGV with insufficient time to react and correct his course”.
She found Will had died
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We all live by the old saying, ‘Where there’s a Will there’s a way’, a fitting tribute to a very special young man
Will’s father, Malcolm Frost
the from multiple injuries and recorded a conclusion that his death was due to a road traffic collision.
In a statement read out during the hearing Will’s father Malcolm described him as a popular and well-loved man who was looking forward to the future, including planning to marry his partner Lucy.
He said while Will loved cars, particularly BMWS, racing and rally driving, his son was “fast on the track and safe on the road”.
Will had worked for a short time as a marine engineer in London in 2001 but returned to Cornwall, where he grew up, because he was “much happier” with the pace of life.
His most recent work included founding his own vehicle-wrapping and motorsport livery business, Rapid Graphics, during the pandemic and similar work for Cornwall Signs in St Austell.
“As a family, our world has been turned upside-down by the loss of our son, brother and, for Lucy, her partner,” Mr Frost said.
“For such a great and careful driver to be taken away is beyond comprehension. We will miss him and love him every day.
“William’s funeral was a real eyeopener. We had no idea that he’d touched so many people from all walks of life, and the funeral was attended by over 700 people.
“Bodmin Church was filled to capacity and the grounds and streets were also.
“Several hundred sport or rally cars and motorcycles attended the funeral and escorted the cortège to the crematorium.
“At a celebration of his life after the funeral we met many people who wanted to say how much he had changed their lives.
“He was constantly looking out for the underdog, helping anyone who needed a hand up. We all live by the old saying, ‘Where there’s a Will there’s a way’, a fitting tribute to a very special young man.”
Tributes paid following Will’s death described him as “a largerthan-life, generous, kind character” who “left an impression on everyone he met”, “lived to the max and would do anything for anyone at any time”.