Fatigue could have led to fatal Boxing Day CAR crash

The tragedy was recalled on Wednesday when East Sussex coroner Alan Craze held an inquest in Hastings into the death of widowed housewife Rosalie Elise Richard, 91, of Cavendish Court, De La Warr Parade, Bexhill.

A post mortem examination by pathologist Dr Maria Bahhadi showed Mrs Richard died from multiple injuries. The coroner’s verdict was that this was the result of a road traffic accident.

The inquest heard that Mrs Richard had been the front-seat passenger in a Citroen Saxo car being driven by her daughter, Ruth Godec, 60, of Western Road, Bexhill, heading south on the A21 and approaching the 30mph speed limit at St John’s Cross, near Battle.

Asleep in the rear were Mrs Godec’s daughter Catherine and five-year-old grandson, Ashley. It was dark at the time - around 4.30pm on December 26 last year - and clear, although the road surface was damp from earlier rain.

Motorists Stephen Lewis, of Old London Road, Hastings, and David Barnes, of Manor Rise, Battle, were some way behind and in front of the Citroen, with Mr Barnes having observed events through his rear-view mirrors.

Both described seeing Mrs Godec’s car pull out of the southbound traffic stream, as if to overtake, while another car was approaching in the northbound lane. Both told the coroner they realised a collision was inevitable.

The driver of the oncoming car, a Volkwagen Golf GTi, was Nicos Kaloyirou, of Framfield Road, London N1, who was returning home with his sister, Carol, after visiting the coast.

He said: “I saw a car leave the southbound lane and come completely onto my side of the road. I thought the person driving towards me was overtaking. There were no indicators on. I remember being completely shocked that someone would overtake two cars there.”

“corner to corner”

Mr Kaloyirou said the oncoming car did not appear to be gaining speed or taking any evasive action. He steered in the hope of avoiding a crash, but the vehicles collided “corner to corner”. Mr Kaloyirou and his sister suffered minor injuries.

Mrs Godec, returning from a family visit to her brother in London, said she remembered passing the roundabout at Robertsbridge but her next recollection was of pain from her injuries. Accident investigator PC Christopher Harrison said neither vehicle had any mechanical defects.

The coroner said: “On the balance of probabilities it seems this accident resulted from lack of attention through fatigue.

“There has been no evidence of braking, steering or evasive action of any kind.”