Drunk cyclist died after riding through red light
A CYCLIST who was riding with his ‘head down’ died after going through red lights and colliding with a car, an inquest heard.
Karl Freeman, 52, died after suffering a traumatic brain injury following the incident on Manchester Road in Whitefield, Bury.
An inquest was told that Mr Freeman, who was not wearing a helmet, was ‘not paying proper attention’ and was almost double the drink drive limit.
A coroner said the motorist who Mr Freeman collided with was driving lawfully, and couldn’t have done anything differently.
Coroner Julie Robertson said: “I think this accident took place because Karl was not paying proper attention to the road. This is something that could have been easily avoided and it has resulted in tragic
consequences.” The coroner said the case demonstrated the importance of wearing helmets when cycling.
Rochdale Coroner’s Court heard that Mr Freeman, a father who was born in Ramsbottom, was cycling on Manchester Road at about noon on Sunday, January 26 last year.
As he approached the junction with Sunny Bank Road, Mr Freeman continued through a red light.
He collided into a Ford Fiesta, which was being driven by a woman who was turning right onto Manchester Road.
Mr Freeman hit the side of her car and fell to the ground, hitting his head. He died in hospital the following day. Ms Freeman said she had considered whether he was being ‘pursued’ or someone was ‘harassing’ him. PC Suzanne Keenan, of
GMP’s Serious Collision Investigation Unit, told the inquest that the evidence didn’t suggest this.
She said: “It just appears he wasn’t paying attention at that particular time,” the officer said.
Toxicology reports found that he had alcohol in his system, almost double the drink drive limit.
Also found were quantities of diazepam, cocaine and ‘illicit’ heroin. Ms Freeman said she last spoke to her brother to wish him a Happy New Year a few weeks earlier, describing his mood as ‘fine.’
He had suffered from anxiety and depression in the past, the inquest heard. The coroner recorded a verdict of accidental death.
“This is a death which has occurred as a result of an accident which was caused by distraction, and by Karl not paying attention to the road conditions,” the coroner said.