|
|
 |
| |
Muhammed Umair |
Driver’s exhaustion may have led to road death
A DOORMAN suspected of killing a prison warden in a hit-and-run may not have slept for 24 hours before the crash, an inquest heard on Tuesday.
St Pancras Coroner’s Court heard how the prime suspect shouted “oh my god!” before running from the scene.
Grandfather Roy Tillson, 45, died when his scooter collided with an oncoming Rover 414 outside Finsbury Park station on March 11.
The father-of-three was riding along Seven Sisters Road at 7.10am to work an early shift at Holloway prison as the driver came in the opposite direction after an all-night shift at a King’s Cross nightclub, the inquest heard.
Plumber Stephen Rawlings was travelling behind Mr Tillson, who lived in Finsbury Park, and there were rail replacement coaches parked on either side of Seven Sisters Road.
Coroner Dr Andrew Reid said: “The Rover driver appears to have drifted across into the path of Mr Tillson when on all the evidence there was room for him to pass the buses.”
Mr Rawlings, 51, told the coroner: “I noticed a car coming towards us on our side of the road.
“I’m looking behind Mr Tillson and thinking this driver has got to do something to slow or stop.”
PC Samantha Janes witnessed the crash as she was travelling home, having after a late shift at Islington police station.
She told the inquest: “It all happened so quickly. I remember seeing a moped and green Rover having a head-on collision and a lot of debris in the air.
“(The Rover) spun 180 degrees and its back end went in the air.”
The Rover also struck Mr Rawlings’ Vauxhall Vectra but the inquest was told that all vehicles were not exceeding the 30 miles per hour speed limit.
Mr Rawlings said: “The whole area was carnage (and) the car was leaking fuel.
“When I pointed out to him where Mr Tillson was, he just screamed out “oh my god!” and then he had gone.”
By this point, PC Janes had already called 999 and was directing traffic away from the accident and trying to preserve the scene.
The force of the collision knocked Mr Tillson from his scooter and wedged him underneath the Rover.
He was unable to move and by the time firefighters had lifted the car, Mr Tillson had died from his injuries.
Detective Sergeant Mark Hine, who is leading the investigation, told the inquest that inquiries have failed to locate the missing driver.
The prime suspect in the case has previously been named by police as Muhammed Umair, 22, from Tottenham.
DS Hine told the court he phoned Mr Umair but the doorman hung up.
He added: “There’s no evidence that he returned home. He worked as a doorman at a nightclub. He had worked all night and was returning home.”
Mr Umair is presently wanted on suspicion of causing death by dangerous driving.
Mr Tillson’s wife Maria, a shop manager, sat together with his elderly father at the front of the court as witnesses presented evidence.
Dr Reid said: “There was no way to avoid the collision that occurred. It appears that the driver… had been working all night and possibly in the day for the preceding 12 or 24 hours.”
Mr Tillson’s brother, Dean, 44, said after the inquest: “I’m sure there’s more the police can do. Our family has been deviated and I will only be pleased when he is caught.”
Verdict: unlawful killing. |
 |
|
| |
| Your Comments: |
| |
| |
| |
|
|
|
