THE driver of the car that crashed through railings into the Avon feeder canal in Bristol (Two drowned in Avon car crash) was more than twice the legal drink-drive limit and had been taking cannabis an inquest heard.
Adam Clifford and his passenger Andrew Sigley died when the Skoda Fabia they were travelling in left the road at between 60 and 70mph on a bend, crashed through an iron railing and flipped into the Avon feeder canal on the 24th January, Keith Gudgin tells us.
Failed to negotiate
Avon Coroner's Court heard that Adam Clifford, 31, had over twice the legal drink-drive limit for alcohol and had traces of cannabis in his system, and that he failed to negotiate a bend owing to excess speed.
Three witnesses saw the car leave the road, all agreeing it was travelling at an excess speed in a 20mph speed limit, some three times the speed limit. When the car reached the bend in the road the witnesses told it did not brake or deviate significantly in its course or speed, so went straight into the railings and flipped over into the water.
Landed on its roof
The railings flattened the roof of the car so that the occupants were then unable to escape as the car landed on its roof and so drowned.
The emergency services attended but both Adam Clifford and Andrew Sigley were later pronounced dead.