'Talented' young engineer with 'everything to live for' died in crash on road near Brackley, inquest hears

"We were so proud of what James had achieved. He will be missed by everyone who knew and loved him."
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A talented engineer who died in a car crash in near Brackley was an "admired and respected" young man who had "everything to live for".

James White had been driving home westbound on the A422 near Brackley in October 2019 after a night out celebrating with his work colleagues when his car left the road and hit a tree.

Despite the efforts of paramedics, James died shortly after. He was 29.

James White died on the A422 in Brackley while driving home after a night out celebrating with his colleagues.James White died on the A422 in Brackley while driving home after a night out celebrating with his colleagues.
James White died on the A422 in Brackley while driving home after a night out celebrating with his colleagues.

At his inquest yesterday (February 19), the coroner heard how the "respected, talented" design engineer had been out celebrating with his colleagues from Mercedes Formula One team in the hours before the accident.

In a statement read out by senior coroner Anne Pember, a colleague and friend said how James had seemed "particularly happy" after receiving news that day about a house deposit he had been saving for.

Sadly, at the end of the evening, James turned down an offer to stay overnight in a colleague's hotel room and drove away.

The inquest heard how James had been a distinguished mechanical engineering student at the University of Southampton who graduated with first-class honours and the trophy for outstanding performance.

An investigation found James had been around twice over the legal alcohol limit to drive when he crashed.

In a statement read out by the coroner, James' mum Jennifer said: "James' passion was cars, and he was ecstatic to join the Formula One team at Mercedes as a design engineer.

"Only now have we heard just how admired and respected he was at work. He was a young man earning a good wage at a job he loved - he was living the dream.

"We were so proud of what James had achieved. He will be missed by everyone who knew and loved him."

In her conclusion, coroner Anne Pember said: "James was clearly a clever young man who I would hope had his whole life ahead of him.

"Sadly, on the night of October 15 he lost control of his vehicle and collided with a tree. What a shame it is that James, having consumed alcohol, did not stay the night at his colleague's hotel in Brackley."

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