Rugby player had been using nitrous oxide before crash

A Longlevens RFC rugby player, who died when he crashed into a stationary lorry on the A40 Golden Valley bypass last September, had been using nitrous oxide (laughing gas) canisters prior to his death, an inquest heard yesterday (June 15).

The inquest at Gloucestershire Coroner’s Court was told that Alex Roberts, 18, of Overton Road, Cheltenham, was a competitive sportsman and a team player at Longlevens RFC, who died at around 11.05pm on Friday, September 30, 2022, when his white BMW hit a lorry that was parked in a layby.

The inquest was told the police officers investigating the collision scene discovered a number of used nitrous oxide canisters, also known as laughing gas, in the passenger footwell.

Mr Roberts, a trainee electrician, had been driving in the right hand lane of the dual carriageway, when it appeared that he slowly drifted across into the left lane, before careering into the back of a white Daf lorry. The driver was in the cab of the truck taking a break from driving.

The lorry driver, Mr Bosworth, and witness Paige Sturgeon, a passenger in a taxi, immediately called the emergency services.

The taxi driver explained that he had seen the BMW driving at speed before veering off left and driving into the back of the lorry. He said he didn’t see any brake lights being illuminated. The incident was recorded on the taxi’s dashcam and this was reviewed by police.

PC Andrew Brown, a forensic collision investigator, told the inquest: “Dashcam footage of the incident shows that it had been raining when the collision occurred. There were no braking lights visible on the footage and no marks on the road to indicate that any sudden braking had occurred.

“It is unlikely that Mr Roberts would have mistaken the layby as being the slip road for the M5. The way the BMW was manoeuvred was not the normal way of getting onto the slip road, had the driver made a conscious decision to get onto the motorway.

“The BMW appears to have drifted across the lanes. The impact of the collision was significant, as the lorry and its trailer moved, despite the parking brake having been applied, and ended up against the kerb.

“This lorry combination being moved in the way it was gives an indication as to the severity of the impact.

“The discovery of the used nitrous oxide canisters, could suggest that the consumption of these items may have led Mr Roberts to lose situational awareness that could have led him to drift across the carriageway into the back of the lorry.

“The manner of Mr Roberts’ driving suggests a lack of situational awareness and the lack of any evidence, even at the last moment, of braking, suggests that he was never potentially aware of the danger he was in.”

The inquest heard that the BMW was examined, but no pre-collision defects or mechanical failure were found with the vehicle.

Pathologist Dr Hemanth Naik said: “Mr Roberts suffered a large wound to his head. The toxicology analysis found a detectable level of nitrous oxide in his blood, indicating recent use prior to his death.

“The use of nitrous oxide can produce effects incompatible with driving because the effects of its use can include short-lived feelings of euphoria, sedation, dizziness and nausea. Higher doses can cause mild hallucinations and may cause the user to become unconscious.

“However, it is not possible to determine what effect, if any, the nitrous oxide would have had on Mr Roberts at the time of the incident.”

Dr Naik stated that the cause of Mr Roberts’ death was multiple injuries.

The assistant coroner for Gloucestershire Roland Wooderson, said: “It appears that Mr Roberts, driving his BMW on the A40 on September 30, 2022 drifted towards the nearside of the carriageway from lane two, across the white lines into the layby and he continued towards the parked lorry where the collision occurs.

“Mr Roberts died at the scene and I record that the medical cause of death was medical injuries. The unfortunate position is that the cause of Mr Roberts’ death is the loss of situational awareness, potentially due to the consumption of nitrous oxide. The end result is that Mr Roberts died from the multiple injuries sustained in the collision.

Coroner’s conclusion: Road traffic collision.

Mr Roberts’ family issued a statement at the time of Alex’s death, in which they said that ‘He was a much-loved Longlevens rugby lad who made his mark on and off the field – a true gentleman who always had a kind word and a helping hand’ and added that he had ‘touched the lives of so many people’.

Alex had recently begun an apprenticeship with Clarkson Evans, which he embraced with positivity and a keenness to learn. Outside of work, Alex enjoyed spending his time socialising, playing rugby and being with his family and friends. He also contributed to raising awareness of knife crime within the local community, by supporting the ambulance service with simulation scenarios.

The family said: “Alex made such an impact on everyone he encountered, making people smile with his charm, wit and cheeky remarks.

“Alex tragically lost his life in a road traffic collision leaving an unimaginable void that can never be filled. Alex was a deeply loved son, little brother, grandson, nephew and partner.

“There are no words to describe the loss his loved ones feel, he will be missed always and loved forever.”