Nothing van driver could have done to avoid hitting Northampton man on motorway, inquest hears

The man was driving a white transit on the M45 at Kilsby on the morning of March 6, 2017 when he saw a silver Honda Civic facing the wrong way on the hard shoulder.

An inquest yesterday heard how, as he drew parallel to the Honda, a 25-year-old man then “sprinted” out into the carriageway before hitting the side of the vehicle.

The victim would have been knocked unconscious instantly and died at the scene, the inquest heard.

Coroner Anne Pember said she could not be sure he if he had committed suicide.

The man, a financial advisor who the family have asked to remain anonymous, would have been knocked unconscious instantly according to pathologist Guy Rutty.

She said: "On the M45 (the man) ran into the path of an oncoming vehicle, which resulted in his death.

"He died as a result of his own actions, but I cannot say beyond reasonable doubt what his intentions were."

The 25-year old, who had presented at Northampton's accident and emergency department with a stress related condition in 2015, had been involved in a collision shortly before his death at around 7.45am on March 6.

Accident investigator PC Jon Hoddle said the man appeared to have clipped the central reservation before spinning and ending up facing the wrong way in the westbound carriageway.

After the collision, he got out of the car by the side of the busy road.

Witnesses told the inquest how the man then appeared to adopt a sprinting pose before running into the carriageway and colliding with the white Transit van.