Drinker should not have driven, says coroner

Drink driving and speeding contributed to the death of a Christchurch man whose car collided with a freight truck near Clarence, the Kaikoura Coroner's Court has found.

Jonathon Robert Scott, 23, died from injuries sustained after his southbound car collided with a Strait Freight truck near the Clarence bridge, 40km up the coast from Kaikoura, on September 30 last year.

Coroner David Crerar heard statements from several witnesses, including the driver of the truck.

The court was told the driver had tried to take evasive action when he saw a car coming towards him on the wrong side of the road.

The car collided with the truck and came to rest on its side near a fence, the engine ripped from the vehicle by the force of the impact. The vehicle then caught fire.

Several people who came across the crash tried to extinguish the flames, while two unsuccessfully tried to free Mr Scott, who was wearing a seatbelt, from the wreckage.

Mr Scott died from his injuries, and the car was soon engulfed in flames. Repeated attempts to extinguish the flames with extinguishers failed.

Dental records were later used to confirm Mr Scott's identity.

At the time of the crash Mr Scott had been intoxicated, according to the pathologist's report.

The crash report stated the car had crossed into the opposite lane and while the truck driver couldn't avoid the crash, the car driver had not tried to avoid the truck.

Mr Crerar said with his level of blood alcohol Mr Scott should have not been driving and was exceeding the speed limit.

- nzpa