A 26-year-old man who sparked 11 calls to 999 after being ejected from an Exeter nightclub and attempted to walk back home to Axminster died after being struck by a car while walking in the road along the A30.
An inquest at Exeter Coroner’s Court today, January 14, heard Jack Wood had been drinking with a friend during a night out in Exeter. After leaving a nightclub, his route through the city caused concern to passing motorists who called the police.
On three occasions he was said to have been offered assistance but each time he ran off from officers. During an interaction with them at around 3am, he was said to be intoxicated and aggressive, and was heard to say, ‘you won’t give me a lift home unless I threaten to kill myself’.
CCTV and witness evidence stated he walked out of the city centre towards Heavitree and then on to the eastbound carriageway in the Honiton direction of the A30, one mile from junction 29 near Exeter Airport. He was last seen on July 15, 2023, walking along the carriageway, mostly walking in the middle of the two lanes, before being hit by a white Audi TT at around 5am.
Some witnesses described having seen him staggering while others said he was following the central white line. A driver recalled sounding his horn as he drove past avoiding him but that he had not reacted. Another recalled seeing him with his arm out as if signaling for a lift.
Most of the drivers reported what they had seen to the emergency services, but shortly after Jack was involved in a fatal road collision. An ambulance, which coincidentally had been travelling along the A30 , arrived at the scene seconds afterwards.
However, due to the severity of Jack’s injuries, he died at the scene. The cause of his death was head injury that was said to have been instantly fatal. Toxicology tests found him to be just over one and half times legal limit for driving, and he had consumed cannabis.
It was not able to be confirmed the effect both would have had on him at the time of his death, but it was said the substances could have impacted his judgement and co-ordination.
Jack’s GP medical notes stated in June 2023 he had reported pain in his feet from a previous injury two years prior when he had jumped off a 30ft bridge in a suicide attempt. On July 4, he was said to have had a ‘difficult’ consultation with the GP surgery but no further details were given.
Paying tribute to Jack, who was born in Barnstaple, his sister Teresa said in a statement: “Jack was one of kindest, caring people I know. He would go above and beyond for family and people he cared about.
“He had made plans about the future with all the family and we were all very much looking forward to everything. A massive gap has been left in our lives, family and friends. He was the baby of our family and he was cared and adored by everyone.”
MPC Lucy Tyler-Jones summarised the findings of a detailed forensic collision investigation that was carried out after Jack’s death. The driver of the car, a 36-year-old woman who was returning from Plymouth where she worked as a dancer back home to Honiton, was taken to the Royal Devon and Exeter Hospital with minor injuries which included glass in her eyes and shock.
She was later arrested on suspicion of causing a death through driving without due care and attention. However, an investigation resulted in no criminal proceedings.
In a statement made to police, she recalled how she had just come out of the lit area by junction 29 when ‘something black shot in front of my car towards the direction of the central reservation’.
She said ‘almost immediately’ afterwards, her windscreen smashed hitting her in the face and said: “At first I thought it was a deer. I braked immediately and pulled over onto the hard shoulder and stopped.”
The next thing she recalled was paramedics coming over to her in her car and said: “It just happened so quickly.” She added she believed her driving was of a reasonable standard at the time of the collision.
An examination of the car concluded that although the vehicle was ‘not reasonably’ well maintained and was not in a serviceable condition, there were no defects that could have caused or contributed to the collision.
An examination of the scene concluded the driver had been driving between a speed of 64mph to 78mph, and the collision took place up to three seconds away from the street lit area. It was noted it would have given ‘very little time’ for her eyes to be accustomed to the reduced light and it was noted Jack’s dark clothing would have affected her ability to see him.
Concerns were raised by Jack’s family that the collision didn’t happen in the way the forensic collision report suggested as one marker where rubber was found at the scene did not match his footwear and one eye witness reported seeing the Audi swerving leading to questions about the actions she took to avoid the collision.
Assistant coroner Deborah Archer concluded that whether the driver swerved to avoid him, or saw him at corner of eye as suggested in her police interview, it did not alter the fact she fatally struck him.
She said: “This is not a court of criminal responsibility. Police have determined no criminal liability in terms of her driving that evening.”
Due to the interaction Jack had with police before his death, the matter was referred to the Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC). No misconduct issues were identified.
Ms Archer described Jack’s death as ‘an absolute tragedy’ and said: “He was much loved by his family. He had some historical difficulties with his mental health but nothing I find relevant to his tragic death.”
Recording a conclusion of road traffic collision, she said: “Mr Wood had been drinking and I do find it likely, however, alcohol clouded his judgement that evening.”