Coroner finds Caolan Devlin died in A5 crash after taking cocaine

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The coroner at the inquest into the death of a Dungannon man on the A5 last year has found the driver had suffered a cardiac incident caused by the excessive use of cocaine in the hours prior to him crashing head-on with a lorry.

Caolan Devlin from Coole Road in Dungannon was travelling along the Curr Road between Omagh and Ballygawley on March 5 last year when he died.

Coroner Joe McCrisken delivered his findings at the inquest in Omagh courthouse.

Mr Devlin, a human resources administrator with Terex, was the brother of Tyrone senior footballer, Niall, who has taken part in videos calling for a GBP1.2billion dual-carriageway to be built along the A5.

Dashcam footage of the collision was shown at the inquest, although the 30-year-old's parents, Gerard and Margaret, who were in attendance, left the courtroom while it played.

The coroner referenced the controversial nature of the A5. But he said that he could find no defect with the road or the heavy goods vehicle which caused or contributed to the death.

"The cause of Mr Devlin's death was not the road," the Coroner added.

The coroner said that cocaine is a 'very highly dangerous' drug, and that the death rate from it has risen by 1,000% during the past 10 years.

"I am satisfied that chronic cocaine usage was the cause of Mr Devlin myocardial cirrhosis," he added.

"It is a very unpredictable and dangerous drug.

"I am satisfied that while behind the wheel of his BMW vehicle Mr Devlin suffered some sort of cardiac arrhythmia caused I am satisfied by excessive use of cocaine."

State Pathologist, Dr Lyness, had earlier told the inquest that Mr Devlin suffered multiple injuries as a result of the collision.

Dr Lyness added that the evidence of cocaine during the post-mortem examination indicated the recent use of the drug. He estimated this to be between four and 12 hours prior to the collision.

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References

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