PhD student died after 100mph police chase
‘WELL-RESPECTED’ STUDENT WHO LOST CONTROL OF CAR WAS THREE TIMES LEGAL LIMIT
A DEDICATED and well-respected Newcastle University student lost control of his car in an alcoholfuelled high speed chase, an inquest has heard.
Shiqiang Zhou, who was born in the Jiangsu province in China, was pronounced dead at the scene following a crash on the A6 Manchester Road, in Bolton.
The 26-year-old was studying for a PhD in Newcastle and held a prominent position in the Chinese Students and Scholars Association.
But having been driving away from police at speeds of up to 100mph while more than three times the legal limit for alcohol, Shiqiang crashed at a major roundabout and lost his life.
Chenxi Li, Shiqiang’s partner, told his inquest at Bolton Coroners Court on Thursday: “We were very shocked.
“He was not someone to drink excessively, he was not someone to drink and drive.
“Given the fact that he was not someone that drank excessively from my knowledge, I felt that he may have been pressured to drink on that occasion.”
Shiqiang’s inquest heard that he had completed a masters course in engineering at Newcastle University and was studying a PhD, with hopes of becoming a lecturer.
He was also president of the Chinese Students and Scholars Association’s Newcastle branch and had
attended a national meeting in Manchester on January 9 last year.
The court heard that following the meeting, Shiqiang went for a meal and drinks with friends and members of the Chinese Consulate.
After the meal, he dropped off a number of friends at addresses across Greater Manchester in his Volkswagen Golf, with his car seen in Irlam at midnight on January 10 and later in Pilsworth at 12.40am.
Chenxi told the inquest that her partner was then due to arrive at her parents’ home in Preston.
Shiqiang was first spotted by police on the A6 in Little Hulton, Salford, shortly before 1am.
PC David Holmes, senior collision investigator at Greater Manchester Police, told the court that two officers - PC Cowin and PC Sunderland saw Shiqiang drive through a red light at the Armitage Avenue junction ‘at excessive speed.’
The pair began to follow Shiqiang westbound on the A6 in a Ford Transit van and used emergency lights and flashing headlights to get him to pull over.
After pulling over, PC Sunderland went out speak to Shiqiang, but in a statement to court the officer said the student appeared ‘shocked’ before pulling away again.
The court heard that Shiqiang initially drove at 15mph and kept his indicator on, before PC Cowin attempted to block him in and force him to stop, but Shiqiang reversed and sped away from the officers.
PC Holmes said that data from both the GMP Ford Transit van and a black box in the VW Golf showed that Shiqiang drove at speeds up to 100mph as he continued towards Westhoughton.
He told court that Shiqiang began to brake as he approached the Chequerbent Roundabout, but could only reduce his speed to 80mph before trying to negotiate the roundabout.
Shiqiang hit a kerb and a safety barrier, causing him to lose control and crash his Golf, with the impact causing severe chest injuries. An ambulance was sent out before 1.10am, but Shiqiang was pronounced dead at the scene by paramedics.
Having been asked about PC
Cowin and PC Sunderland’s actions in the pursuit, PC Holmes insisted he would ‘not do anything differently’ if he had been involved.
The inquest heard that the Transit was not capable of high-speed pursuits and the pair were not trained for such chases, but PC Sunderland had contacted GMP for more appropriate vehicles with fully-trained officers to take over the pursuit.
The Independent Office for Police Conduct also investigated the incident and concluded that no further action was needed.
Timothy Brennand, senior coroner for Manchester West, concluded that Shiqiang died due to a road traffic collision and remarked that the officers’ actions were ‘measured and proportionate.’
He insisted that Shiqiang’s actions were ‘irrational, illogical and wholly out of character’ - and that his ‘better nature got the better of him’ by accepting drinks at the gathering.
Mr Brennand said: “He was highly regarded, he was extremely popular, he was gregarious and he was somebody with a very promising future ahead of him.
“He was well educated and highly motivated - and that simply serves to underscore the shocking aspect of the amount of alcohol found at postmortem.”
The coroner added that it was ‘fortunate’ he was dealing with only one death from the incident ‘rather than many others.’