Speed could have caused fatal crash (From Daily Echo)

Speed may have caused death of Swanmore man

11:20am Wednesday 18th January 2012 in News

A UNIVERSITY reunion ended in a tragic accident when a young man described as being on the “cusp of a perfect life” was killed after enjoying an afternoon go-karting, an inquest heard.

Talented snowboarder and IT consultant Oliver Guerreri, from Swanmore, died instantly when the car he was travelling in collided with an oncoming Land Rover Discovery on moorland in North Wales.

The 23-year-old was the passenger in a Hyundai, driven by his friend, Ben Deakin, as part of a four-vehicle convoy with six other friends, heading to Liverpool for the night.

But the inquest in Wales heard that the pair never made it after the Hyundai veered across the road at 90 degrees on a right-hand bend, colliding with the Discovery being driven by Liverpool man Alan Garland.

Oliver, a former Swanmore College Student, of Vicarage Lane, suffered multiple injuries and died at the scene and his friend, from Surrey, died in hospital the next day, from severe head injuries.

Witness Glenda Roberts, who was driving ahead of Mr Garland, told the inquest in Prestatyn that Mr Deakin’s nearside wheels were over the white line as he came around the corner, adding: “I felt it was out of control and I kept looking in my mirror.”

Mr Garland said he had no time to take evasive action as the Hyundai came across in front of him.

Another member of the group, Alistair Kinross, who was in the car following the Hyundai, said they had all been travelling at a sensible speed at the time of the crash.

Collision investigator PC Michael Nobbs told the hearing that although the road was subject to the national 60mph limit there were many bends in North Wales where that could not be maintained.

Recording a verdict of accidental death John Gittins, the acting coroner for North Wales Central, said he accepted that Mr Deakin was a conscientious driver but may have displayed a “momentary misjudgement” in taking the bend too fast.

After Oliver’s death his parents, Joe and Carole, who have five other children, told the Daily Echo that he had been in line for a promotion at the National Grid where he worked as an IT strategist.

Joe added: “He was on the cusp of a perfect life. It is a terrible, dreadful tragedy that his life was taken away.”