Man died after tragic accident when he was struck by car as he checked lights

AN inquest into the death of a 67-year old man in Derbyshire has heard how he died after being struck by a car driven by his partner while he was checking the brake lights.

Timothy Roger Edworthy, of Sutton Crescent, Inkersall, had come out of his home with his partner, Lorraine Dixon, on Monday, March 22, to check the brake lights at the back of the car.

Miss Dixon sat in the driver’s seat while Mr Edworthy went to the rear of the vehicle.

In a statement read out at Chesterfield Coroner’s Court, Miss Dixon explained what happened: “I said to Timothy ‘just stand at the back of the car a minute, I think I might have got a brake light out’ so he stood there and I just jumped into the car and I think I went on to automatic pilot or something and I started it up and I thought I’d put it in park but I must’ve put it in reverse drive but I thought I’d put it in park.

“I pressed what I thought was the brakes but it was obviously the accelerator and it jerked back, I didn’t hear it I just saw him go backwards so I pulled forward and jumped out of the car and was absolutely distraught.”

The incident was witnessed by two people, one of whom was 17-year old Jessica Beswick, her statement was also read out in court talking about the moments immediately following the incident.

She said she hand a friend were walking towards Crich Road: “As we were crossing over Sutton Crescent, it appeared a man and a woman were checking something at the back of the car.

“We’d just reached Crich Road when we heard a loud bang, it sounded like a car crashing, I turned and spun round quickly and saw the man we’d just passed falling to the floor. He fell onto the road behind the car and his head hit the ground really hard.

“The female was still in the car when we got there, she got out, informed us that she was his wife and they were checking if the brake lights on the car were working. She also told me she’d pressed on the accelerator instead of the brake pedal and the car was in reverse at the time, which is why it hit him.”

Mr Edworthy was taken to Chesterfield Royal Hospital suffering from a bleed on the brain, a broken right shoulder blade and two broken ribs.

Dr Liam Barber told the inquest that Mr Edworthy’s condition worsened as time went on and he was taken to the intensive care unit, where he was put on a machine to help him breathe.

Mr Edworthy, who had previously suffered three strokes and was on blood thinners, died on Thursday, March 25.

The coroner read out a statement from Mr Edworthy’s son, Alec, who praised the hospital staff who looked after his father and added: “What happened on Monday afternoon was a tragic accident and I do not hold Lorrie [Lorraine] responsible for what happened but I know she blames herself and will likely do so for a long time.

“Lorrie has been our dad’s soulmate and companion for over 20 years, and most recently his carer. We’ve all lost someone we dearly love and punishing Lorrie further is in no one’s interest”.

Coroner Peter Nieto concluded that Mr Edworthy’s death was as a result of an accident.