A DRIVER who stopped to help at a crash scene later hit the victim who walked into the path of his lorry, an inquest heard yesterday (Tuesday, November 19).

Roy Mackenzie, 35, abandoned his car in a hedge by the side of the A19 in North Yorkshire after being involved in a collision with a fuel tanker, coroner Michael Oakley was told.

Another trucker Steven Quinn stopped to help but continued on his way after being unable to find any trace of the Thirsk father-of-two.   

Mr Quinn told the Northallerton inquest:  “As I passed a vehicle on the near-side I saw it was actually in the hedge at the side of the road. There was no-one around so I stopped to see if anything I could do.

“When I got out, a couple of other drivers had also stopped and we looked for whoever had been driving the car. The keys had been left in the ignition but there was no one around – the police had been called so there was nothing more I could do.”

He said he slowly pulled back onto the southbound A19 but soon spotted someone on the grass verge in his headlights - who then moved into the road in front of his lorry.

“When he came into view I slowed down but he moved right in front of me with his hands up in front of him,” said Mr Quinn, from Liverpool.

He braked immediately but was unable to stop in time.

A toxicology report revealed traces of cannabis in Mr Mackenzie’s system.

The inquest heard that the accident happened near the Kirby Sigston junction just after 1am on February 19.

Traffic Constable David Foster said Mr Quinn did everything possible to avoid hitting Mr Mackenzie.

“For an unknown reason he (Mr Mackenzie) had collided with a fuel tanker and lost control before coming to rest in the hedge.

“He was in a vulnerable position – he was receiving treatment for a number of issues. It is possible he was trying to flag drivers down.”

Mr Mackenzie’s wife Georgina, now of Brompton, near Northallerton, said her husband had acted strangely that evening and she feared he maybe suffering from a breakdown.

She said he was taking medication to stop him drinking alcohol and was feeling down.

Mr Oakley recorded a conclusion of accidental death.