Man who drove into lorry ‘was in dark place’ after loss of wife
64-YEAR-OLD TOLD SON ‘I’M NOT COMING BACK FROM HERE’ BEFORE HGV CRASH SUICIDE
AMAN killed himself after driving into the back of a lorry cab parked in a layby at about 80mph last New Year’s Eve.
Gwynfor Hywel Jones, 64, had struggled to cope after the death of his wife, an inquest heard.
Katie Sutherland, North West Wales assistant coroner, said at a
Caernarfon inquest that he died from multiple injuries in Caergeiliog, Anglesey and concluded that his death was due to suicide.
The incident happened in a layby on the A55 eastbound between junctions 4 and 5 on Anglesey.
Mr Jones’s son David Barry Jones told the hearing that his father, who was an HGV driver, had become withdrawn following the death of his wife about four years ago.
Mr Jones senior, who lived in the Valley area of Anglesey, had said he felt guilty about subsequently meeting another woman and altering his house from his married days.
He was “in a dark place” and said “I’m not coming back from here.”
His father had also been acting “strangely” at home by pacing up and down rooms.
On New Year’s Eve 2019, Mr Jones senior was with his family at home but suddenly took his car keys off a mantelpiece and rushed outside.
He drove off in his black Vauxhall Mokka.
Mr Jones said: “He bolted out of the b a c k door. All I could see was the back of the car.”
Mr Jones followed his father but on arriving at a crash site was too frightened to get close.
“I was petrified at what I was going to see. His intention was to kill himself. He didn’t want to go and measuring into the New Year.”
The inquest also heard that lorry driver Paul Jones had gone to bed inside his cab parked in the layby. Mr Jones said he was “fast asleep” but was woken up at 11.55pm by a collision from behind.
In a statement he told the inquest: “I could see a car had struck my vehicle. I was in shock.” He got out and first relatives then the emergency crews arrived. Mr Jones was pronounced dead at the scene early on New Year’s Day. Forensic collision investigators found data showing the Vauxhall Mokka
had been travelling at 89mph five seconds before its airbag was activated by the impact and just outside the layby.
One investigator Ian Thompson said Mr Jones had not been wearing a seatbelt. He also found that the lorry cab – a yellow Man Truck – had been shunted two-anda-half metres forward by the impact.
Dr Mark Atkinson, a consultant pathologist, found in a post mortem examination that Mr Jones died from multiple injuries due to a road traffic collision.
Assistant coroner Ms Sutherland concluded that death was due to suicide.
Afterwards Gwynfor Jones’ family said in a statement: “We miss him dearly.
“We have been overwhelmed by the support from family, friends and the community.
“We hope that other men talk about their mental health issues.”
Samaritans (116 123) operates a 24-hour service available every day of the year.