A MOTORCYCLIST has described how he tried to swerve but could do nothing to avoid a woman who was crossing the road in front of him. Kelly Reeman, 25, of Kneesworth Street, Royston, died after she was in collision with the motorcycle when crossing York Ro
A MOTORCYCLIST has described
how he tried to swerve but could do
nothing to avoid a woman who was
crossing the road in front of him.
Kelly Reeman, 25, of Kneesworth
Street, Royston, died after she was in
collision with the motorcycle when
crossing York Road in the town on April
8 this year.
She was taken to Lister Hospital but
died two days later.
At an inquest, held at Hatfield Coroner's
Court on Tuesday, Hertfordshire coroner
Edward Thomas recorded a verdict of accidental
death caused by traumatic brain injuries.
The rider of the motorcycle, Jonathan Lill,
who was 19 at the time of the
accident, told the inquest: "I
didn't see her until she
stepped out in front of me. She
was only about one metre
away.
"I tried to turn to the right
and swerve away from her, but
it was so close I couldn't really
do anything."
The inquest heard that Mr
Lill was driving without insurance,
and subsequently
received six points on his
licence because of this.
He had suffered a blackout
while driving the previous
year, and had been advised by
his neurologist not to drive
again for 12 months, but was
not disqualified from driving.
However, the coroner was
satisfied this was not a factor
in the accident.
The inquest heard from a
number of people who witnessed
the crash. One of these,
Andrew Turff, said he saw Miss
Reeman walking along the
path beside his van, before
stepping out between the stationary
traffic.
He said: "She looked left,
where the road was completely
clear, but I wasn't
aware of her looking right.
"She wouldn't have heard the
motorbike because it was
fairly quiet, and didn't see it
until the last moment."
Mr Turff raced out of his
vehicle to where Miss Reeman
was lying in the road.
He said: "Her eyes were half
open, but she didn't respond
to anything I was saying. Then
her eyes closed."
Pc Edward Peachment, who
investigated the accident, said
he believed the motorcycle
was travelling at around 25
mph when it struck Miss Reeman.
He said: "The driver was well
within the speed limit. A more
experienced rider may have
left a bigger gap between himself
and the cars, although I
cannot say whether this would
have made a difference in this
instance."
Recording a verdict of
accidental death, Mr
Thomas said Miss Reeman,
who worked for Hotel
Chocolat in Royston, was a
"lovely girl, who was well
liked, and well respected in
her job".
He added: "The motorcycle
was travelling at a reasonable
speed, and it
wouldn't have made any
difference had he been travelling
at 20 miles per hour.
"Unfortunately the impact
took Kelly by surprise and
she couldn't stop herself
from falling and hitting her
head on the road, and this is
what led to her death.
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