Mystery of why man in black stumbled in front of car at night

FIVE drivers swerved to avoid a man seen staggering in the road before he was hit by a car and killed, an inquest has heard.

Anthony Raynor, 50, of Old Park Avenue, Canterbury, was knocked down by a Ford Ka as he stumbled along the A28 near Hersden.

Witnesses and paramedics told Canterbury coroners’ court he smelled of drink as he lay injured, but tests later revealed he had no alcohol in his blood.

He died from multiple injuries at the QEQM Hospital in Margate hours after he was hit between Upstreet and Hersden on November 10. The Ford was driven by jujitsu instructor Karl Wharton, who was travelling home from teaching in Canterbury with his pregnant partner in the passenger seat.

Mr Wharton, of Chapel Place, Ramsgate, told deputy coroner James Dillon: “I had a pint in the Thomas Ingoldsby in Canterbury after the lesson and drove home along the A28 because my usual route through Wingham was closed for resurfacing.

“It was very dark and unlit and I had my full beam on. I was doing about 40mph when a figure just appeared from nowhere, hunched over about two or three car lengths in front of me in the road.

“He was dressed in black with a hood and I started to swerve but he seemed to stumble towards the car.

“Then I felt a bang. It all happened really quickly.

“My partner Donna was screaming and had broken glass in her mouth from the windscreen.

“I checked she was all right and then got out the car and saw the man lying on his side.

“I lifted his hood and saw blood but he was breathing and smelled quite strongly of alcohol.”

Suffering anxiety

The inquest heard ambulance staff called to the scene also smelled alcohol on Mr Raynor’s breath.

The deputy coroner read a report from Mr Raynor’s GP Dr Daniel Titterton, of the Northgate surgery, in which it was said he was suffering from anxiety and drinking 112 units a week – equivalent to eight pints a day.

Police who investigated the accident said Mr Wharton’s blood had been tested for alcohol but came back negative.

PC Guy Ditcher read statements from five other drivers, including a bus driver and offduty paramedic, who all said they had earlier swerved to avoid a man dressed in black, thought to be Mr Raynor.

He added enquiries revealed Mr Raynor, who was unemployed and a keen bingo player, had briefly visited the Mecca bingo at Westwood Cross earlier that day.

Forensic crash investigator PC David Burley said the road was very dark and drivers would not have expected to see a pedestrian in the road.

Recording a narrative verdict outlining the circumstances of Mr Raynor’s death, deputy coroner Mr Dillon said: “The deceased was wearing dark clothing on an unlit road where there was no footpath and other drivers had to take evasive action to avoid him.

“But there is no evidence that Mr Raynor was under the influence of alcohol.”