A BUSINESSMAN knocked down and killed while walking along a dual carriageway had careered off the road and crashed at 106mph just minutes earlier, an inquest heard.

Thornaby father-of-four Naveed Hussain died in the early hours of March 13 this year after being hit by a car on the westbound A174 Parkway, near Middlesbrough.

An inquest held at Teesside Coroner’s Court today heard that the 33-year-old had called a friend for help, saying he had “dozed off” at the wheel and had veered off the road, crashing into trees just 750m from where he was later killed.

Mr Hussain – who ran a pizza shop in Redcar - had escaped from the initial collision “without significant injury” and had been walking along the carriageway before he was fatally struck by a driver in a Skoda Fabia.

The impact threw Mr Hussain into the air and over the roof of the car, resulting in him sustaining multiple injuries, including a broken spine and damaged spinal cord.

A subsequent investigation found that Mr Hussain – the sole occupant of a Vauxhall Astra - was over the drink-drive limit at the time of his death and had filmed a short video minutes before crashing that showed his dashboard displaying a speed of 106mph.

Evidence heard during his inquest suggested that Mr Hussain would have been “virtually undetectable” as he walked along the unlit road clad in entirely black clothing at around 4am.

Other drivers reported only being able to see Mr Hussain “at the last second”, with the motorist who hit him attempting to brake but being unable to avoid the collision.

There was no evidence to suggest that the driver, who had not been speeding, was at fault.

Coroner Clare Bailey recorded an accidental verdict as she offered her condolences to Mr Hussain’s heartbroken family.

She said the excess alcohol in his system, compounded by shock arising from the first collision, may have contributed to Mr Hussain being confused and potentially unaware of how perilous his position as a pedestrian on the carriageway was.

Following his death, Mr Hussain’s wife, Iram, paid tribute to a “beloved son and brother”.

She said: “Naveed was a loving husband and adoring father to his four children.

“Naveed will be remembered as a hardworking man, devoted to his family and a great friend to many people, including those who worked at his business.

"He just meant so much to everyone, and that made me love him more and more. Naveed will be eternally in our hearts and forever in our memories."

Speaking afterwards, Inspector Harry Simpson, from the Cleveland and Durham Specialist Operations Unit, said: “This is an absolutely tragic case and unfortunately the consequences are that a family now have to live without their loved one; children without their father and a wife without her husband.

"It is fortunate that no one else was also hurt in the incident. Our thoughts go out to Naveed Hussain’s family and friends at this difficult time.”