Man died after choking on pie - Coroner

File photo / Steven McNicholl

Wairoa bar-goers took a heavily drunk man, who was choking, outside because they thought he was about to vomit, not realising his air passage was blocked, the coroner has found.

Jason Daniel Brownlie, 32, casual farm worker, died of asphyxiation after choking on a piece of bacon and egg pie at the Frasertown Tavern on June 6 last year.

Hastings Coroner Chris Devonport released a report into Mr Brownlie's death yesterday which found that bar patrons were not aware that a piece of bacon and egg pie was blocking his air passage.

Mr Brownlie, who suffered from bipolar disorder and schizophrenia, was drinking at the tavern on the night he died and was heavily intoxicated.

A toxicological analysis revealed a blood alcohol level of 199 milligrams per 100 millilitres of blood. The legal limit for a New Zealand driver is 80 milligrams.

At 11.15pm, Mr Brownlie was eating bacon and egg pie with other patrons when he pushed one piece, measuring 5cm by 5cm, into his mouth without chewing.

Soon afterwards he was seen slumped over the bar. Two patrons and owner Paul Wells thought he was about to vomit and they took him outside.

He was placed in a chair outside the front of the tavern.

When Mr Wells' wife, who trained as a nurse, checked on him, she felt a faint pulse and tried to call an ambulance but was unsuccessful.

She phoned his father at 11.30pm. He arrived to find Mr Wells and another patron had removed the food from Mr Brownlie's mouth and were attempting CPR. An ambulance was not called until 11.52pm and paramedics did not arrive until 12.06am. They were not able to revive Mr Brownlie.

Mr Devonport said there was no evidence that any one at the bar knew Mr Brownlie's air passage was blocked.

He was concerned patrons were intoxicated and that affected their observations of Mr Brownlie as well as their reaction to when he put the piece of pie into his mouth.

But Mr Devonport found he had not acted like a man choking as there was no convulsing or grasping of the throat.

He said if the seriousness of Mr Brownlie's predicament was appreciated then his life could have been saved.