Wiltshire biker with ‘heart of gold’ died in A342 crash
67-year-old David Earley, of Melksham, suffered fatal injuries after his motorcycle collided with the back of an Evri delivery van on the A342 Monument Hill at Stert, near Devizes, on Saturday, July 27. The retired tyre manufacturer, who worked at Avon Tyres for decades, had been on a group ride with friends when the crash took place at the turning for the Manor Farm Depot shortly after 10am. An inquest at Wiltshire Coroner's Court heard that an Evri van had come to a stop at the turning and was waiting for traffic to clear so it could enter the depot when David's bike hit its back corner.
David suffered injuries described by Senior Coroner David Ridley as "unsurvivable" and was pronounced dead at the scene. His friend of 22 years, Darren Jago, had been riding alongside him and described how he saw the Citroen van stopping and slowed down, but David did not slow down until it was too late to avoid the crash. He then applied his brakes but was unable to stop before crashing into the back of the vehicle. In a statement, the van driver told the court he had turned on his right indicator in time to give "plenty" of warning and was at a stop for around 60 seconds before the crash. Multiple witnesses, including a postal worker who had been travelling behind David and Darren, confirmed the Evri van had indicated to turn before stopping. A police investigation found no defects with either David's bike or the van that could have contributed to the crash and there was no suggestion that the condition of the road played a part. The van driver passed both a breathalyser and a drugs wipe at the scene while a toxicology report found David had no alcohol, drugs, or medication in his system. SEE ALSO: Music venue to open as construction begins[2] Coroner Ridley recorded that David was more likely than not distracted by his rear-view mirror and was potentially looking for the rest of the group who remained behind the postal van. He did not see the van stopping until it was too late and despite braking was unable to avoid hitting it, Coroner Ridley continued. A conclusion of road traffic collision was adopted. David was born in Trowbridge and also lived in Westbury and Warminster over the years. Following his retirement in 2018, he remained an active member of the community who organised the Avon Valley Running Club and ran multiple marathons. He was described as a sensible and experienced motorcyclist who took great pride in the condition of his bikes and had ridden them across multiple countries.