Drink-drive crash kills best friends
A motorist who died alongside his best friend in a horror crash was over the legal drink drive limit when he lost control of his car and ploughed into another car, an inquest concluded.
A motorist who died alongside his best friend in a horror crash was over the legal drink drive limit when he lost control of his car and ploughed into another car, an inquest concluded.
Adam Hickinbottom, aged 23 from Tipton, died alongside passenger Christopher Keeling when their car burst into flames in the head-on collision on the A449 at Low Hill, near Hartlebury, on the outskirts of Kidderminster.
An inquest held at Worcestershire coroners' court, Stourport, yesterday heard that both Adam, of Woodard Road, and 23-year-old mechanic Christopher, of Laurel Road, Wrens Nest, Dudley, died instantly.
They suffered multiple injuries, including shock and haemorrhage, in the smash at around 9.30pm on February 18.
Coroner Geraint Williams said the men died as a result of an accident when Adam, having consumed excess alcohol, lost control of his vehicle "at high speed" and collided with a car travelling in the opposite direction.
Today Christopher's devastated family said they did not blame Adam for their son's death and said the two families had been helping each other through the very difficult time.
Christopher's father Paul Keeling said: "The two boys were like brothers and to me Adam was like a second son.
"I know that Adam's family felt the same way about Christopher and we do not hold Adam responsible for his death in any way.
"He was only just over the limit and the police told us that before the inquest so it did not come as a shock."
He added that the family was "extremely grateful" to Worcestershire Police for their help over the last six months.
"There were no witnesses to the accident so we can never know for sure what happened to the boys but we accept that the police and the coroners did everything they could."
Christopher worked for E&S Motors in Walsall.
