Three killed in Anglesey crash after driver ‘accidentally pressed accelerator’

An 81-year-old man who pressed his car's accelerator by mistake had gone from 25mph to 55mph in the five seconds before a horror collision which killed him and a couple, an inquest heard today. Humphrey Pickering, of Colwyn Bay[1], had pressed the accelerator pedal of his automatic Audi A8 about three times[2] within those final seconds before the horror crash at Beaumaris, in Anglesey[3], last summer, a police collision investigator said. Meilir Hywel told the inquest at Caernarfon[4] that CCTV showed no brake lights were activated as the powerful grey car reached 55mph on the approach to a sharp right-hand bend.

Recently retired vicar Stephen Burch, of Alcester, Warwickshire, and his wife Katherine, a retired charity worker, who were both aged 65, were walking through the popular tourist town when they were struck by the car in August last year.[5] "Mr and Mrs Burch didn't have enough time to react and move to safety. For them the collision was probably unavoidable," Mr Hywel said.

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The Audi had been parked near the Bulkeley Hotel. "The collision incident occurred as Mr Pickering was manoeuvring his Audi from a parking space to make room for his wife to get in the passenger side," Mr Hywel said. "The most likely explanation for the collision is a pedal misapplication." The Audi had driven through a group of pedestrians and two of them fell to the ground, suffering minor injuries, in a horror lasting just seconds. Pathologist Dr Mark Atkinson said Rev Burch and his wife had multiple injuries.

Mr Pickering, a retired managing director, not thought to have been wearing a seatbelt, had chest injuries. North West Wales senior coroner Kate Robertson recorded conclusions that the deaths were due to a road traffic collision. She said the couple died in Alma Street, Beaumaris, after a collision.

Mr Pickering had "lost control" of his car and collided with a house, too.

The coroner said: "The most likely explanation is the pedal misapplication which has led to the sudden unintended acceleration. There's no evidence before me the incident was deliberate on the part of the driver." She added to the families: "This is one of the most traumatic cases I am sure I have come across in the circumstances before me.

"There's nothing I can say which will ease the pain and suffering you will all no doubt be feeling." Sarah Packwood, the Burches' daughter, said they were grandparents of "deep Christian faith." Mrs Burch was a talented musician and baker.

Mr Pickering was a former librarian who had travelled the world. Holidaymaker Jamile Serrano said the Audi came out of a narrow road slowly at first but suddenly picked up speed.

He had fallen to the ground and then heard a loud bang. Francis O'Rourke, another eyewitness with his family, described the car as being "floored" and swerving erratically. It was 100 to 200 metres from start to finish.

"The scene was complete chaos.

It was just so shocking," the witness recalled in a statement. Sign up for the North Wales Live newsletter[7] sent twice daily to your inbox

References

1. ^ Colwyn Bay (www.dailypost.co.uk)
2. ^ automatic Audi A8 about three times (www.dailypost.co.uk)
3. ^ Anglesey (www.dailypost.co.uk)
4. ^ Caernarfon (www.dailypost.co.uk)
5. ^ struck by the car in August last year. (www.dailypost.co.uk)
6. ^ WhatsApp community group where you can get the latest stories delivered straight to your phone (www.dailypost.co.uk)
7. ^ Sign up for the North Wales Live newsletter (www.dailypost.co.uk)