A coroner’s inquest into the death of Shaun Ryan Newell ruled Thursday that his passing resulted from misadventure.
Newell, 35, of Bodden Town, died on the morning of 25 Nov. 2019, after the motorcycle he was riding collided with a school bus along Shamrock Road in the vicinity of Mimosa Lane, Bodden Town.
According to eyewitness testimony and specialist reports, which were presented to the seven-member jury over the two-day hearing, Newell was travelling in the westbound lane of Shamrock Road towards George Town while the bus was three-quarters into a right turn onto the eastbound lane towards East End.
The jury heard that moments before the accident Newell was overtaking a line of traffic which had come to a standstill to allow the 40-foot-long school bus to turn onto the road.
“Based on my assessment, the point of impact occurred near or on about the solid white line that separated both lanes,” said accident reconstructionist PC Athelton Watts of the RCIPS Traffic and Roads Policing Unit.
He added, “The damage sustained by the motorcycle shows that, upon impact, it’s trajectory shifted to that of the bus which was a larger mass in motion.”
Watts told the court that he came upon the accident by chance, as he was on his way to the scene of another fatal accident that had happened the night before, which claimed the life of Henry Robinson.
“When I came on the scene I observed that the road was dry… it was sunny and [visibility] conditions were excellent,” said Watts, who noted that there was nothing that would have impeded Newell’s ability to see the school bus if he had been looking up.
Colin Redden, another reconstructionist who also presented evidence at the inquest, said Newell’s death occurred because he was an inattentive and inexperienced rider.
“The eyewitness told the court that the rider was riding with his head down, and that when the rider saw the bus the bike started zig-zagging and it was too late,” said Redden. “Her testimony is consistent with my findings that the rider didn’t perceive the danger until the last minute, which is evident by the scuff marks on the back tire, which occurred when he panic-braked.”
Redden added he believed Newell was travelling at about 25 miles per hour, and therefore he would have had more than 300 feet to notice the school bus and slow down in time to avoid the collision.
Pathologist Dr. Shravana Jyoti told the jurors that after examining Newell it is clear that he died upon impact due to chest injuries received when his body hit the bus.
A toxicology report showed that Newell also tested positive for 400 milligrams cannabinoid substance per millilitre, and a 0.010 blood alcohol level.
When questioned about whether the readings were high, and if they could impact Newell’s ability to operate the motorcycle, Jyoti said the cannabinoid readings surpassed the lab’s instrument capabilities and was therefore a high reading, whereas the blood alcohol reading was very low.
“While the cannabinoid readings are high, it is not clear how it would affect the rider’s dexterity, because it depends on his tolerance for the drug and how often he consumed it,” said Jyoti.
The jurors were also told that the motorcycle Newell was riding, for which he did not have a licence, belonged to his wife, and he wasn’t covered by insurance.
After a two-day hearing, the jurors deliberated for 10 minutes before returning a unanimous verdict of death by misadventure.
Related Videos
