Elderly pedestrian hit by car died of organ failure

Wednesday 24 October 2018

An inquest into the death of a 71-year-old man who was hit by a car at speed on Queen’s Road last year heard that his organs failed as a result of the impact.

John Richard Reidy died after being hit by a car which drove straight into him whilst he was crossing over Queen’s Road.

The inquest into his death opened in September last year, but adjourned awaiting further test results from the post-mortem examination.

Mr Reidy was hit by a car on 4 August last year whilst he was crossing the road. The inquest heard that a white Peugeot 205 driving up the hill hit the elderly man at about 30mph and didn’t appear to slow down. 

Pictured: The inquest into Mr Reidy's death closed after adjourning over a year ago at Morier House.

The inquest heard statements from witnesses to the incident, one of whom described Mr Reidy being “thrown up into the air like a rag doll” after the car drove into him.

Mr Reidy was knocked unconscious and sustained multiple injuries as a result of the collision, including a cut to the back of his head, damage to his neck, multiple broken ribs and internal bleeding.

Mr Reidy was taken to the Intensive Care Unit at the Hospital for treatment, but ultimately passed away on 8 August after he suffered a cardiac arrest and multi-organ failure. 

Home Office Forensic Pathologist Dr Russell Delaney, who conducted the post-mortem examination, explained that Mr Reidy’s pre-existing lung and heart disease meant he was unable to survive the injuries he sustained from the crash. Although Dr Delaney thought Mr Ready’s health conditions contributed to his organs failing, he told the inquest that he “would not have expected [Mr Reidy] to have died in this manner had he not sustained these injuries”.

Pictured: The inquest heard evidence from Home Office Forensic Pathologist Dr Russell Delaney as well as statements from witnesses to the collision.

The driver who hit Mr Reidy last year, Christopher Francis Blackwell, pleaded guilty to, and was convicted of, causing death by driving without due care and attention in the Magistrate’s Court and sentenced to 120 hours of community service as well as being banned from driving for four years. Blackwell was also fined £950 for having a defective vehicle and being in possession of cannabis. However, the inquest heard that the drugs had nothing to do with Blackwell’s careless driving.

After hearing all the evidence, Relief Coroner Advocate Cyril Whelan, presiding over the inquest, returned his verdict that the cause of Mr Reidy’s death was “multiple injuries on the background of heart and lung disease.”

Advocate Whelan closed proceedings by expressing the “condolences of the inquest to Mr Reidy’s family and those who were close to him.”