Woman hit by taxi while walking home from club
A22-YEAR-OLD who died after being struck by a taxi was walking home after being refused entry to a nightclub, an inquest has heard.
Eve Lewis died from “catastrophic injuries” she suffered in the early hours of March 4.
Giving evidence at the hearing into her death, the driver of a Ford Tourneo minibus which hit her described seeing a shadow in the road a split second before the fatal accident.
Pontypridd Coroner’s Court heard how Anthony Shankland from South Cornelly desperately flagged down another road user when he realised what had happened.
He said: “I saw a shadow and I thought it was a large animal because you get foxes in the area. “It wasn’t until I stopped I saw that it was a young lady on the floor.”
He said he was “driving between 40-45mph in the left lane of the dual carriageway” in Porthcawl when tragedy struck.
Eve was taken by ambulance to Princess of Wales Hospital in Bridgend.
According to a statement from Dr Laura Harvey who treated her, she had suffered a “catastrophic brain injury” which nobody could survive.
Toxicology reports revealed the popular prison officer had a level of alcohol in her system equivalent to being three times over the drink-drive limit. The inquest heard she had been refused entry to Streets Nightclub in Porthcawl about 25 minutes before being hit by the taxi.
Other drivers reported seeing her walking along the dark carriageway.
PC James Littlewood, who investigated the incident, said: “Her clothing of black top, black trousers and black boots would not have made her stand out against the dark asphalt.”
In summing up, Coroner Christopher Woolley found Eve’s death was the result of a road traffic collision.
He said: “It is a mystery why she chose to walk home along the route she took. She was well into the carriageway and a driver had narrowly avoided her. Another had stopped his car and told her to get off the road.
“Mr Shankland was driving his taxi. He had not drunk at all, was perfectly sober and driving within the speed 50mph speed limit. I am satisfied that he had no chance to avoid Eve. There was no time to brake or think, let alone avoid. I absolve him completely from any blame, he behaved responsibly.”
Regarding the section of road, he added that as the road was not supposed to be used by pedestrians “there are little changes that can be made that would prevent a similar incident”. In a statement, her family said: “We as a family are devastated by what has happened.
“We wish to be left alone to grieve in privacy but are grateful for all the support we are receiving.”