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Inquest told of 'stupidity' of man in quad death

Friday, January 25, 2008

By Clare Weir

The friend of a Limavady man killed in a quad bike accident a year ago has described the "total stupidity" of riding the machine on a road without a helmet.

And a coroner at the inquest of Brendan McGurk, who was 23, spoke of "a lesson learned the hard way, and with much regret".

The electrician's assistant, from Castle Gardens in the town, was riding the Yamaha 450 racing quad along the Nessa Road, Slaughtmanus, close to Loughermore Forest on Saturday 20 2007 when the accident happened.

He lost control of the machine - owned by his brother Declan - which hit a grass verge on the "narrow, rural" road and careered into a tree, killing him instantly.

Declan McGurk said that he went with Brendan, their other brother Anthony and friend Andrew Blackburn to the forest, taking turns to ride the quad, which was capable of speeds of up to 90mph.

Declan added that this was the first time none of the riders wore helmets or had driven on the road.

While he said that he thought his brother was capable of controlling the bike, brother Anthony McGurk said: "Declan kept telling Brendan to slow down as the front of the quad was rising as he shifted gears. I thought he was going too hard."

He said he saw the quad go from side to side before the rear left wheel appeared to clip a grass verge, travel to the other side of the road and catch a wire fence, adding: "Brendan was thrown forward into a tree."

He said he found his brother face down on the grass with the quad on top of his lower legs and said: "The right side of his face was blue."

Mr Blackburn told how he had dismounted the quad, saying: "I didn't feel safe or comfortable as I wasn't wearing a helmet. I always normally wear a helmet."

He said that Brendan McGurk was "as usual, comfortable and in full control" until the crash.

At the scene, he said he noticed the deceased had a "severe head injury" .

He added: "It was total stupidity to ride a quad on the road with no helmet, I honestly believed it was a forestry road."

Coroner Suzanne Anderson said that a pathologist found no drink or drugs in Mr McGurk's system.

She added that the young man died from severe head injuries including lacerations to and bleeding on the brain, responsible for his "rapid death."

She called the death a "tragic accident".

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