Grimsby Town youth team player Cameron Walsh and his dad David were test driving a Mercedes GLC 300 when it hit a telegraph pole and plunged into a water-filled dyke – in a tragedy that took both of their lives.
Tribute was paid to the Grimsbyfather and son at a resumed inquest into their deaths today (Wednesday, June 18). David 40 and Cameron, 16, died on January 6 last year as a result of a road traffic collision on Tetney Lock Road., the hearing in Lincoln concluded.
A tribute from David’s stepdaughter and son, Milly Ardito and Connor Sweatman, on behalf of the family, said: “David was the most selfless person to grace this earth. He embraced his role as a father figure with unmatched warmth.” They said: “Cameron made you laugh on days it felt impossible. He was a gentle giant.
“He loved to love. When he was with you, you always knew he was there, whether it was a touch of your heart or a kiss on the head.”
The talented and fit teenager played for Grimsby Town’s youth teamand was described as “a powerhouse on the football field.” They said they all felt the “profound influence of our Dad.”
Assistant coroner for Great Lincolnshire, Marianne Johnson said the tragic deaths were as a result of a single road traffic collision on Tetney Lock Road around 1.30pm on January 6 last year. Emergency services representatives described their response when another motorist told how the westbound Mercedes GLC 300 began “snaking” and lost control and entered the dyke.
The car was fully submerged upside down and emergency services arrived just a few minutes later. Grimsby firefighter, Jack Skipworth told the inquest how he donned water protective clothing and searched for occupants in the deep water.
The windows were intact and had to be smashed, once the vehicle was dragged by a line to the bank side of the waterway. He said it “threw him” to find the father in the passenger seat and Cameron in the driving seat, although the coroner was of the view it was ‘on the balance of probabilities’, the father who was driving.
(Image: Grimsby Town FC)
Both David and Cameron were pulled from the vehicle. Tragically they were declared dead at the scene, despite the efforts of paramedics and doctors to resuscitate them. They had been under water for at least 30 minutes, the inquest heard.
Lincolnshire Police forensic collision investigator, PC Nick Prestwich said he could not say definitively who was driving the car. Friends provided Snapchat photographs in evidence which were taken by Cameron and sent moments before the collision and showed David driving.
The officer said: “There was an element of doubt who was driving. I can’t say who was driving definitely.” He said there were warning signs of undulations on the road. “Given the speed of the vehicle, it did not help. It appeared to be travelling reasonably fast. It was probably too fast for the road but possibly not for the speed limit.” The road has a 60 mph limit.
He said the collision was due to “excessive speed and undulating road.” Ms Johnson said: “I am of the view, on the balance of probabilities, it was David who was driving and Cameron was messaging his friends.”
She said the “undulating road surface, adverse camber and cracking” of the road surface had been contributory factors. She said the witness saw the car coming towards her “yawing” and rotate anti-clockwise after hitting a telegraph pole and entering the water.
The assistant coroner said the father and son had been able to unfasten their seatbelts but were unable to extricate themselves.
She said an inspection of the road by Lincolnshire County Council highways had found no defects which required immediate rectification. Highways officers said the road will continue to be monitored and some improvement works are scheduled for next year.
Ms Johnson said she will be writing to Lincolnshire County Council under Regulation 28 to ensure any future road traffic collisions which are serious and proved to have contributory factors of substandard road surfaces, should be flagged to highways officials. She issued her sympathies to the family of Mr Walsh and his son.