Crash inquest to hinge on position of lorry in the road
AN inquest into the death of a 45-year-old killed in a road collision will examine why the lorry which struck his vehicle was travelling on the opposite side of the carriageway.
The issue was described as the crux of an inquest to be held later this year, examining the circumstances surrounding the death of Lyn Morgan on the A465 at Resolven, near Neath.
Mr Morgan, decribed as “a rock” in a tribute by his family, died in April 2013.
A pre-inquest hearing held at Swansea Civic Centre, attended by members of Mr Morgan’s family, heard the inquest had been delayed due to a variety of reasons including a police investigation.
It also identified witnesses and the scope of the hearing.
Assistant coroner Aled Wyn Gruffydd said: “I appreciate a considerable amount of time has passed and I am truly sorry for that.
“It has something to do with understanding if there was going to be further police investigations. We had to take a back seat until that decision had been made.”
Mr Gruffydd than identified some of the issues to be considered during the inquest. He said: “What was the cause of the lorry to be on the opposite side of the carriageway?
“That is the crux of the inquest. Is it in relation to tiredness and falling asleep at the wheel?
“Did the work rota [of the company whose lorry was involved in the collision] contribute to that? Did the system include the taking of regular rest breaks?
“If not related to tiredness, was there a medical reason? Did the driver suffer from any medical position that should have prevented him from holding an HGV licence?”
The hearing was told interested parties would include either lorry driver David Woolcock, or Jeff Woolcock Transport, his brother’s company, which owned the van.
Mr Gruffydd said other issues to be examined include the shift rota patterns of the lorry driver, and the vehicle’s tachograph, which records its speed and distance, would also need to be provided as evidence.
Iwan Jeffreys, for the Woolcocks, said alcohol had “not played any part at all” in the collision, and added: “David Woolcock has been interviewed at length by police.
“His recollection of events on that terrible day is he remembers stopping to pick up some shopping at a garage, and his next recollection is effectively waking up in hospital.”
A date is to be set to hold the full inquest in September or October this year.