More on KentOnline
More on KentOnline
A young Ashford motorist whose car smashed with another vehicle was found to be more than twice the legal drink-drive limit.
A post-mortem examination found Sam Higgins, 23, of Ayrshire Close, Kennington, had 170 micrograms of alcohol per 100 milligrams of blood when his car crashed on December 7 last year. The legal limit is 80.
Speaking at an inquest at Folkestone Magistrates Court this morning, PC Mark Chapelhow said that for reasons unknown Mr Higgins' car had gone out of control and veered left into a grass verge along the A28 near Wye at around 2.15am.
Mr Higgins, a former Towers School pupil, steered to the right to correct it but overcompensated, causing the car to go further out of control and it spun in the road, the inquest heard.
The side of the Peugeot then hit the front of oncoming Gerald Ncube’s BMW 318i, which was travelling towards Ashford.
PC Chapelhow, from the serious collision investigation unit, said: “Mr Higgins applied an extensive amount of steering which made things worse. It is common for drivers to over-react and put in too much steering.
"The impact between the two vehicles was quite catastrophic. I have not seen damage of that nature for a number of years..." - PC Mark Chapelhow
“The impact between the two vehicles was quite catastrophic. The damage to the Peugeot was catastrophic.
“I have not seen damage of that nature for a number of years.”
The officer added that Mr Ncube’s car never left his side of the road.
It was heard that Mr Higgins’ Peugeot had literally been smashed into pieces following the crash and that the driver’s seat ended up at the edge of the road and the driver’s door ended up by the BMW.
The contents of the Peugeot’s boot were strewn across the road between the two cars.
Mr Ncube, who suffered a broken leg, said that he believed he was driving at 40mph when the speed limit was 60mph, but PC Chapelhow said that the cars were so badly damaged it was not possible to determine the speed of both cars at the time of the impact.
He added that they were satisfied Mr Ncube was driving carefully and in a controlled manner.
Dr Nicola Chaston, pathologist, confirmed the level of alcohol in Mr Higgins’ blood and said he suffered multiple injuries.
She also said that the alcohol level may have contributed to the cause of loss of control of the vehicle.
Coroner Rachel Redman, Central and South East Kent coroner, gave a conclusion of accidental death.
She said: “I believe that such a high level of alcohol would have affected Mr Higgin’s ability to control the vehicle.”
Tributes were paid to former MOT tester Mr Higgins, who worked at the Ashford MOT Centre, in Brunswick Road, following his death.
His family described him as adventurous, passionate and loving.
Speaking after the inquest this morning, Sam’s mum Janice Higgins said his death had devastated his family and that his behaviour that night was out of character.
She said: “I would like to tell all young drivers to take care on the roads. This has devastated our family.
“Sam was a very caring and helpful person and this was very out of character for him.”
Stories you might have missed
Care worker guilty of honey trap killing
Delays after eight-car motorway pile-up
Theresa May on campaign trail in Kent
