Eastleigh crash victim Harrison Cross killed while driving 'dream' car

Harrison Cross - known as Harry - was accelerating off a roundabout at Station Hill in Eastleigh when his BMW careered sideways into a tipper lorry.

Mr Cross, 26, of Fair Oak Road in Bishopstoke, suffered a cardiac arrest and is thought to have died at the scene.

The inquest heard that two of the car's gears had been welded together to make it "fishtail" when cornering at speed.

The alteration is commonly made by car meet enthusiasts who like to engage in the practice known as "drifting".

Enthusiasts staged a car meet in Southampton after Harry Cross was killed in a crash at Eastleigh (Image: Newsquest.)

Area coroner Jason Pegg said it was not known if Mr Cross was told about the welding when he bought the car, but he probably realised there was something "not quite right" with the vehicle.

The inquest at Winchester Coroner's Court was attended by Mr Cross's mother Penny.

In a statement issued after the hearing the family said: "He is greatly missed and always will be. He has left a big hole with the family."

READ MORE: Tribute paid to young driver killed in Eastleigh lorry crash

The crash happened near Eastleigh railway station on the afternoon of June 7, 2022.

In a written statement submitted to the inquest the lorry driver, Quentin Wiltshire, said the BMW was "snaking" as it came towards him and appeared to be out of control.

Another motorist, Harvir Sandhu, added: "The truck driver had no way of avoiding the collision."

Police investigated the cause of the crash and examined the badly damaged BMW as part of the inquiry.

Officers said the modifications made to the vehicle would have "severely affected" its ability to cope with a sudden change in direction.

Flowers were left at the scene of a crash that claimed the life of Harry Cross, 26 (Image: Newsquest.)

Reviewing the evidence, Mr Pegg said: "Harry had recently bought what has been described as his dream car.

"The sun and planet gears had been welded together, a practice that allows your car to drift if you want it to.

"It also affects the handling characteristics of the car when negotiating corners, especially at speed. It was this 'fishtailing' that resulted in him losing control."

READ MORE: Car meet held in memory of 26-year-old driver killed in Eastleigh crash

The inquest heard that Mr Cross bought the BMW a few months before he died.

Mr Pegg said: "Harry drove it every day and would have been familiar with the vehicle. It's more likely than not he knew something wasn't quite right with the rear differential. Whether he was told about it when he bought the car I don't know.

"Had the modification not been done, this collision is unlikely to have happened."

Mr Pegg recorded a conclusion that Mr Cross died as the result of a traffic accident.