Dead drink-driver had taken drugs
A 21-YEAR-OLD mechanic died instantly after the car he was driving at high speed while under the influence of drink and drugs crashed into a concrete wall, an inquest heard.
Ashley Brockie, also known as Ashley Deakin, was flung from the window of a blue Renault Clio on impact and was left lying on a pavement 14 metres from where the car finally came to a halt.
He had not been wearing a seatbelt and sustained fatal head injuries.
The inquest into his death, held at Derby and South Derbyshire Coroner’s Court yesterday, heard how Mr Brockie, who had no driving licence and very limited motoring experience, had been in a pub prior to the crash.
Mr Brockie, of Bob Southern Grove, Church Gresley, was ‘restless’ when he got home just after midnight so took the keys to his girlfriend’s car after she had fallen asleep.
It was 2.30am when the accident happened in Woodville Road, Hartshorne, on July 23 last year.
A toxicology report showed Mr Brockie was almost twice the legal drink-drive limit and tested positive for Class A drug cocaine in samples of both his blood and urine.
PC Nigel Barnley, a collision investigator for Derbyshire Police, said in evidence: “We couldn’t establish for certain what speed Mr Brockie was travelling at due to the extensive damage to the car, however it would have been at high speeds to cause the devastation it did.
“Our investigations show he wasn’t wearing a seatbelt at the time he crashed.
“We believe due to him driving while under the influence of drink and drugs, along with speeding and having no driving experience, it resulted in the way it did.”
Dr Andrew Hitchcock carried out a post-mortem examination and said Mr Brockie died of coronal sinus trauma — a major head injury.
He said: “He had significant external and internal injuries. I found a very large fracture the right side of his skull which would have killed him instantly. If it didn’t kill him, he would have certainly lost consciousness and would have been unaware of what was going on.”
Recording a verdict of accidental death, coroner Dr Robert Hunter described the crash as ‘tragic’ and said it was an ‘accident which should have never happened’.
He told family and friends present at the hearing: “I hope this can be a message to others not to drink-drive or drive while under the influence of drugs.
“We can’t stop young people from doing these things but they need to be sensible about it.
“I strongly advise people to drive sober to try to avoid another family having to go through this kind of heartache again.”
