Biker met his death ‘in an instant’
CORONER TOLD OF TRAGIC CRASH
A BIKER killed in a high-speed crash on a busy road probably died instantly, an inquest heard.
Malcolm Higgins, 51, died after his Kawasaki motorbike collided with a Vauxhall Corsa on the A189 Spine Road near Blyth.
An inquest into his death heard multiple witnesses saw Mr Higgins travelling “in excess of 100mph” on the dual carriageway on April 9 this year.
One witness said: “I recall going at 70mph when I saw an orange-coloured motorcycle coming behind me and it caught up very quickly.
“I recall it made an engine change as it went past; it went down a gear. The Kawasaki disappeared out of sight.”
The inquest, in North Shields, heard Mr Higgins’s motorbike collided with the Corsa near the Blyth roundabout at Bebside at around 11.50am.
The road was closed for around four hours while emergency services tried to save Mr Higgins but he was pronounced dead at the scene.
His 43-year-old female passenger was taken to hospital with serious injuries, while the driver of the car was unhurt.
A report by a pathologist found that Mr Higgins, from Front Street, North Shields, died from a “head injury”.
South-east Northumberland coroner Eric Armstrong said it was likely that he was killed instantly.
Recording a narrative verdict, Mr Armstrong said: “Malcolm Higgins died as a result of injuries sustained in a road traffic collision. This is how his injuries were sustained.”
Following Mr Higgins’s death, tributes were paid to him on Facebook.
Suz Hudson said: “Unfortunately I was in the traffic hold-up minutes after that happened but never witnessed the collision. I was sad to hear of the tragic loss of the rider.”
Diane Brady commented: “Thoughts and prayers to all affected by this very sad news.”
And Robbie Dava wrote: “Lovely bloke, Mal, rest in peace, mate.”