'˜Absolutely nothing' taxi driver could have done to avoid hitting pedestrian in Byfield, inquest hears

A coroner told a taxi driver there was nothing she could have done to avoid hitting a man who appeared suddenly from behind a bus.
Andreas Jakob, of Mollington, Oxfordshire, died following a collision with a taxi in Byfield, in January.Andreas Jakob, of Mollington, Oxfordshire, died following a collision with a taxi in Byfield, in January.
Andreas Jakob, of Mollington, Oxfordshire, died following a collision with a taxi in Byfield, in January.

Andreas Jakob died a week after he was struck by Armadepp Kaur’s private hire vehicle at low speed in Byfield.

Mr Jakob, 44, and who had a long standing addiction to alcohol and a poorly functioning liver, was four times over the drink-drive limit when he emerged into the road from behind a parked bus on Woodford Road at around 1.30pm on Sunday, January 20.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

He had been visiting his partner Shirale Gale in Byfield and was due to catch a bus to Banbury for an interview with the job centre.

An inquest at County Hall in Northampton heard how Mrs Kaur, who was on a call-out with Daventry firm Lake Hire, would have been travelling at around 15 miles per hour as she passed the bus on the opposite side of the road.

“The next thing I saw was something appearing on the near side of the car and rolling over the bonnet,” she said.

“He appeared before I could stop.

“I was in shock.”

Mrs Kaur said her silver Toyota Prius would have been travelling along using electric power at that speed, so would have been much quieter than a normal car.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Accident investigator PC John Underwood agreed that there was no evidence of “excessive speed” from the taxi driver.

Coroner Anne Pember returned a verdict of accidental death before turning to the driver.

She said; “Mrs Kaur, there was absolutely nothing you could have done to avoid this crash.”

In a prepared statement read out at the inquest Miss Gale, said of Mr Jakob: “He was a lovely person. He did drink, but it was only to maintain a normal life.”

The couple were considering moving in together and had kissed goodbye only minutes before he was involved in the collision with he car.

Related topics: