Young cyclist’s death after crash off A449 was ‘tragic accident’

Joseph Guy, from Willenhall, was out cycling with a friend in Four Ashes on Wednesday, May 31 last year, when he was hit by the LGV on Vicarage Road shortly before 10am.

The keen rider, who was a member of the Wolverhampton Wheelers cycling club, died at the scene from fatal injuries to his head and chest a post-mortem later confirmed.

At an inquest held yesterday, Coroner Andrew Haigh concluded his death was an 'accident'.

The hearing, at Cannock Coroner's Court, was told that the driver of the lorry had pulled out into the middle of Vicarage Road preparing to overtake Joseph who was on the left-hand side.

But the cyclist then pulled in front of him causing the vehicle to strike the back wheel of the bike and knock him to the ground.

A tachograph fitted to the vehicle revealed it had initially been travelling at 36mph on the 50mph route and braked suddenly when the cyclist moved towards it.

It was estimated it was going 19mph at the point of impact with Joseph.

The driver called emergency services and was later interviewed under caution at Stafford police station but was not thought to be in the wrong, the inquest heard.

Pc Richard Darby, of Staffordshire Police's collision investigation unit, told the inquest that Joseph's friend had turned around and was heading back towards Straight Mile and assumed Joseph, who was behind, was also going to turn around.

The officer also said a motorist travelling in the opposite direction to the collision witnessed Joseph give a hand signal which could have led the van driver to believe he was being encouraged to overtake.

The van driver himself failed to attend the hearing but Pc Darby said he had not made reference to a hand signal from Joseph in his interview.

Coroner Haigh said: "It is a possible explanation that Joseph has indicated a turnaround manoeuvre then made a right turn hand sign as well.

"I take the view Joseph misjudged the situation and ended up turning or moving out in front of the LGV which was far too close."

He added: "On the balance of probabilities I do not think this can be described as a road traffic collision but a genuinely tragic accident."

Joseph's distraught parents attended the hearing with his father telling the inquest that Joseph was a very experienced rider who would have known what hand signals to make.

Last year hundreds of riders from the Wolverhampton Wheelers had turned out in memory of the teenager to raise money for his family.