Latest news with #tragicaccident
Telegraph
10 hours ago
- Health
- Telegraph
Mike Lynch's friend killed by car while jogging, which he took up ‘to combat fraud trial stress'
A friend of tech billionaire Mike Lynch was run over and killed by a car after taking up running to deal with the stress of a fraud trial in which he was acquitted, an inquest heard. Stephen Chamberlain, 52, was crossing a road between two parts of a bridleway when he was struck by a Vauxhall on Aug 17 last year. He was an associate of Lynch, who died when the Bayesian superyacht sank off the coast of Sicily. Lynch was celebrating his acquittal in the same fraud trail when the ship capsized, killing seven people. It happened just two days after Chamberlain's death. Lynch, his 18-year-old daughter, Hannah, Morgan Stanley International bank chairman Jonathan Bloomer, 70, and his wife, Judy, 71, were the four British victims of the tragedy. His US lawyer Christopher Morvillo, his wife, Neda, and chef Ricardo Thomas also died. Chamberlain sustained a traumatic head injury in the collision on the A1123 near Stretham, Cambridgeshire. The injury was deemed unsurvivable and his life support was withdrawn three days later. Chamberlain was the co-defendant in a US trial alongside Lynch. Both men were cleared of conducting a massive fraud over the sale of software company Autonomy to Hewlett-Packard (HP) in 2011. His widow, Karen Chamberlain, said that her husband took up running after he was charged with fraud. 'He discovered it helped him mentally stay calm and focus on what was ahead,' said Mrs Chamberlain, in a statement read by lawyer Sally Hobson. She said her husband would 'meticulously spend hours planning his routes' and competed in ultra-distance races. He was safety conscious, she said, and would wear just one earbud, leaving the other ear free. 'That was no exception on the day – his other earbud was left at home,' Mrs Chamberlain said. She said he had been home from the US for two months and was 'making up for lost time, enjoying getting his life back'. On the day of the collision, he had planned to run 17 miles, starting in Ely and ending in Longstanton, Cambridgeshire. He was just over six miles into his run when he was struck. The coroner directed that the female driver of the car should not be named at Tuesday's hearing. The driver said, in a statement summarised by area coroner Caroline Jones, that as she 'approached the bridge she proceeded down the incline' and a man 'suddenly emerged into the road'. She said she saw Mr Chamberlain 'looking to his left away from her and only looked to his right just before the collision'. The driver said she had 'braked hard and steered to the nearside', but 'he was too close' and the front offside of the vehicle collided with him. She said she had been driving within the 60mph speed limit and was on her way to a shop in Newmarket, Suffolk. Grahame Cornwall, a motorcyclist who witnessed the collision, said that Chamberlain was thrown 'approximately 15ft' into the air. 'In his opinion the driver wouldn't have seen anything until she was on top of the rise (of the bridge) and wouldn't have had a chance to stop,' the coroner said. Police forensic collision investigator Pc Ian Masters said it was 'not an ideal crossing point by any stretch of the imagination'. Asked by the coroner if it was his view that it was not an avoidable collision, Pc Masters replied: 'Yes, that's correct.' 'Glue of our family' The coroner recorded a conclusion that Mr Chamberlain died as the result of a road traffic collision. Chamberlain's daughter, Ella, said in a statement to the inquest that her father was the 'perfect role model in every way'. His son, Teddy, said: 'He was the glue of our family, always ready with an answer.' 'The mental and physical strength he showed was beyond anything I could imagine.' In a statement outside the court read by lawyer Elena Abraham, the family said that they 'still have questions unanswered'. 'We will be inviting the police to refer the case to the Crown Prosecution Service for consideration,' the statement said.
Daily Mail
4 days ago
- Health
- Daily Mail
British woman is killed and her husband left fighting for life after SUV crashes into bakery in Kos
A British woman has been killed and her husband left fighting for his life after an SUV crashed into a bakery on a Greek island. The driver reportedly lost control of his vehicle before slamming into the building in Tigaki, Kos, shattering the windows and dragging the couple along. The pair were sitting at tables outside the bakery when the large 4x4 came barreling towards them, local media reports. They had been holidaying on the tourist hotspot island before the nightmare unfolded yesterday afternoon. The driver had just left work and was on his way to the bakery when disaster struck, according to local news outlet Mega. Both the couple and the driver were left injured after he struck the shop's window. All three were rushed to hospital, where the woman succumbed to her injuries and died. Her husband remains in critical condition, while the driver suffered only minor injuries. A bakery worker told local news that the driver was turning towards the building when he appeared to lose control of the vehicle. She said: 'The driver was in a state of shock, clutching his head, shouting "what happened, what did I do?"' The Traffic Police in Kos have since launched an investigation into the crash. It comes after a British tourist was killed in India when a car driving 'in a rash and negligent manner' lost control and plowed into him and his wife. Harish Solanki, 86, was crushed against a compound wall at the picturesque town of Candolim last month, local media reported. His 81-year-old wife, Chandrakanta, was in critical condition after sustaining grievous injuries and being taken to a nearby hospital. The Traffic Police in Kos have since launched an investigation into the crash. Driver Vicky Jain, 48, was arrested after hitting the couple with his rental car, said to have taken extensive damage from the incident. Police said he was on the main road through Candolim to nearby Calangute when he veered onto the wrong side of the carriageway and hit the couple. Authorities understand that the couple had just left their hotel and were walking on the side of the road when they were struck. Solanki died in hospital that evening, while his wife was undergoing treatment at a medical centre and remained in critical condition. The incident reportedly occurred near the Fisherman's Cover Restaurant on Friday April 25. Both were rushed to the Candolim Primary Health Centre before being taken to the Goa Medical College (GMC) hospital in Bambolim due to the severity of their injuries. Police have contacted the family of the British nationals and are understood to have launched an investigation. The driver was identified as 48-year-old Vicky Omprakash Jain from Ghaziabad, Uttar Pradesh, Daijiworld reports. He was arrested by Calangute police following a complaint. MailOnline contacted the Foreign Office for comment. Candolim is a small town in the state of Goa, home to sandy beaches and colonial architecture built by the Portuguese. Calangute, a coastal village to the south, is a popular tourist destination and the home of Bruno Coutinho, former captain of the Indian national football team.
Yahoo
6 days ago
- General
- Yahoo
Mum says letting daughter, 8, play on balcony before she fell to death 'biggest mistake' of her life
An eight-year-old girl died after falling to her death from the sixth-floor balcony of her mother's home, an inquest has heard. Minnie Rae Dunn, who lived with her grandmother, was at her mum Rebecca Dunn's home in Portmousth on August 23, 2023, when she suffered the fatal fall. An inquest into Minnie Rae's death, held on Wednesday, heard the youngster had gone out to play on the 'cluttered' balcony, which had eight bin bags and a pouffe chair, with another girl. READ MORE: Liverpool crash suspect's neighbours speak out as wife 'found out after seeing car on TV' READ MORE: 'Twisted mum' arranged for child rapist stay over to rape daughter, 12 Giving evidence at the hearing, Ms Dunn said that she would sometimes go on to the balcony when she visited and described her daughter as 'sassy' and a 'good kid'. The inquest was told that the balcony had a brick wall about a metre high with anti-pigeon netting above. Ms Dunn said that the chair was normally against the window but had been moved against the wall by someone who had gone out for a cigarette. She told the inquest that she initially refused to let her daughter and the girl go on to the balcony that day. Ms Dunn added: 'She did ask to go out, I did say no at first but they got slime all over the bed. I am a sucker for her eyes and ended up giving in and that was the biggest mistake of my life.' Ms Dunn admitted that she had smoked cannabis earlier in the day. The inquest heard that Ms Dunn told police that it did not make her 'drowsy' but made her 'calm'. She told the hearing: 'I did it for my mental health, it's not like I smoked it all day.' Coroner Jason Pegg asked Ms Dunn: 'Do you think it impacted on your ability to look after Minnie Rae?' to which she answered: 'No.' Ms Dunn added that she had not been able to 'grieve yet' for her daughter and said that she was an 'emotional mess'. The other girl told police that she had attempted to grab Minnie Rae as she fell and said: 'I couldn't hold on, my hand slipped off as she was moving really fast", the hearing heard. The coroner told the inquest that a neighbour reported seeing Minnie Rae standing up on something before she fell. An air ambulance was called to the scene, but Minnie Rae sadly died from multiple injuries. Recording a conclusion of accidental death, Mr Pegg said: 'This was a desperately dreadful and tragic accident.' He added: 'I am going to record that Minnie Rae had been playing on the balcony and in that time elevated herself on an object which had been left on the balcony causing Minnie Rae to fall over the balcony wall.' Paying tribute to Minnie, Ms Dunn said in a statement previously released through police: 'My angel, I am going to miss your sassiness and the way you spoke your mind. 'Your big bright smile that always melted my heart will be missed so much. 'I have a hole shape in my heart that will always be there. My little angel fly high, I love you to the moon and back. Mummy.' Hampshire Constabulary previously confirmed that a 43-year-old woman arrested on suspicion of neglect was released without charge.
Daily Mail
7 days ago
- General
- Daily Mail
Mystery as Utah girl, 16, is ran over and killed by semi-truck on busy highway
A 16-year-old girl tragically died after she was run over by a semi-truck on a busy highway in Utah. Jessica Santiago, of St. George, was walking along Interstate 15 early Friday all by herself when she was mowed down by the large truck around 6.30am, police said. At the time of the horrible incident, no other vehicle was found nearby, suggesting that Jessica was on foot, Lt. Cameron Roden with the Utah Highway Patrol told St. George News. The unidentified truck driver was not injured in the crash, Roden added. It remains unclear why the teenager ended up on the freeway and why she was walking in the southbound lanes, but according to her brother, she 'stepped out of the home' the night before while her family slept. When they woke in the morning, Jessica was nowhere to be found so her concerned loved ones reported her missing to the police before hearing of the crash, her brother, Omar Santiago, told the outlet. Omar said he and the rest of the family do not know why his younger sister would have left the house, especially after everyone was asleep for the night. 'All we know is that, when we woke up, she wasn't home. We don't know how she got on that side of the freeway or what happened exactly. 'We just have as many questions as the investigators do. We're unsure how everything unraveled.' Omar said his late sister 'was not suicidal' and did not 'leave a note or anything' behind. 'She was a light in our home who will be dearly missed,' he said, adding that Jessica was 'a hard worker who cared about all of those around her.' A family member also created a GoFundMe page to help support her grieving family during this time. 'Jessica was a bright, kind, and beautiful soul who brought joy and light to everyone who knew her,' the organizer wrote. 'Whether it was her infectious laughter, her gentle spirit, or her passion for music, art, and most of all, helping others. Jessica left a lasting impact on all our lives.' 'She was a daughter, a sister, a friend, and a beacon of hope. Her time with us, though far too short, was filled with love, compassion, and unforgettable memories.' As of Wednesday afternoon, more than $4,500 was raised. A public funeral mass is set to be held Saturday at St. George Catholic Church before Jessica's remains are sent to a final resting place in Mexico. Another service will be held for her on June 16, according to the donation page. contacted the Utah Highway Patrol for more information on the investigation. Soon after the crash, the road was shut down for a bit before authorities let vehicles back on. While they slowly re-opened the highway, a second crash took place involving three vehicles, per the outlet. Those involved suffered several minor injuries. One person had to be transported to a nearby hospital for evaluation, according to authorities.
The Sun
7 days ago
- General
- The Sun
Girl, 8, died falling from sixth-floor balcony – as mum reveals her torment over ‘biggest mistake'
A TRAGIC eight-year-old girl died falling from a sixth-floor balcony while visiting her mum, an inquest heard. Minnie Rae Dunn, who lived with her gran, was playing with another girl at the flat in Portsmouth when the horror unfolded. 3 3 An inquest heard the balcony, which had a metre-high wall with netting, was "cluttered" with around eight bin bags and a pouffe. Her mum Rebecca Dunn told the inquest she would sometimes let her daughter on the balcony to paint. On the day Minnie died, Rebecca initially refused to let her play outside but eventually agreed. The mum said: "I am a sucker for her eyes and ended up giving in and that was the biggest mistake of my life." Rebecca admitted she had smoked cannabis around an hour before the August 2023 horror but denied it impacted her ability to look after Minnie. A 43-year-old woman was arrested on suspicion of child neglect by Hampshire Constabulary but was later released without charge. The court heard Minnie was seen by a neighbour standing up on something before she fell. The girl she was with had attempted to grab the youngster but was not able to save her. She later told police: "I couldn't hold on, my hand slipped off as she was moving really fast." An air ambulance was scrambled to the block of flats but Minnie died shortly after from multiple injuries. Hampshire acting senior coroner Jason Pegg said the death was a "desperately dreadful tragic accident". He added: "I am going to record that Minnie Rae had been playing on the balcony and in that time elevated herself on an object which had been left on the balcony causing Minnie Rae to fall over the balcony wall." In a handwritten statement following the inquest, Rebecca said her daughter was a "happy, lovable, sassy little girl". She added: "She was loved by all that met her... Her passing had and continues to have a massive impact on our lives. "Her smile was just as bright as the sun. We will have to love you from afar, but that love will never, never stop." 3
