Uninsured, unlicensed driver knocked down and killed Darlington man - inquest hears

Patrick Schaible died instantly when he was hit by a car driven by quarry worker Mateusz Boczek’s Renault Clio just before 7am on the morning of October 7, 2017, on the B6279 near Summerhouse, about eight miles east of Darlington

Keith Schaible and Nicola Schaible (centre), Patrick Schaible’s parents, with their partners

The 21-year-old, who lived with his family in the village of Headlam, was walking home alone from a night out in Darlington, and was spotted by four separate witnesses, who described him as being difficult to see because he was wearing dark clothing and walking along the unlit road.

A pathologist report said he died instantly as a result of a devastating head injury when he was struck by Mr Boczek’s car.

Patrick’s mother Nicola Schaible asked Boczek’s fiancée, who was also in the car when Patrick was hit and gave evidence via an interpreter today, if she was aware that her boyfriend had a previous motoring conviction for driving without a licence or insurance.

Mr Boczek had a Ukrainian driving licence, which is not valid in the UK. 

Mateusz Boczek, who was driving the car which hit Patrick Schaible

Katarzyna Urbanska told Mrs Schaible, who is a senior consultant in Accident and Emergency, that she was not aware or could not remember if he had a conviction.

Mr Boczek expressed concern about his pregnant fiancee giving evidence at the inquest, worrying it would put her under stress.
But assistant coroner Crispin Oliver said he would bear it in mind when questioning her.

Both Miss Urbanska and the other occupant in the car, Raddslaw Ryzyk, gave evidence that Mr Boczek was not going too fast and there was no music playing in the car as they travelled to Stainton, near Barnard Castle, before 7am.

They both said they saw nothing before the impact.
Mr Boczek and Mr Ryzyk were going to work at the quarry and Miss Urbanska, who was also pregnant at that time, said she was going along to see her fiance's workplace.

Mr Schaible, who had studied animal care at Houghall Community College while working as a barman at Darlington Rugby Club, had been out with friends and was described as being 'intoxicated'.

Patrick Schaible

He was experiencing financial difficulties so friends lent him money to get a taxi home and saw him to the taxi rank – but instead he went to the Turk's Head on Bondgate and had drinks with an acquaintance, who last saw him on the steps of the Inside Out nightclub between 1am and 2am. 
From there it is believed Mr Schaible started to walk to Headlam.

He was just over a mile away from home when he died.

Farmer Nick Hodgson described seeing a man in his garden in Summerhouse, opposite the Raby Hunt pub, at about 6am, who "appeared intoxicated" and told him he was trying to get to Headlam Hall.

And another witness, Mark Caldecott, was the last to see Mr Schaible before the accident, at about 6.40am, when he drove past a male in dark clothing "walking normally" on the road. He saw the blue Renault Clio down the road, just minutes before the accident.

Mr Ryzyk told the inquest that he flagged down a passing car after the incident so the driver could help him explain to an emergency call operator which road they were on.

The driver of the passing car, an off-duty nurse, performed CPR until paramedics arrived.

As previously reported by The Northern Echo, Mr Boczek has not faced any charges in relation to the accident. A charge of causing death while driving without a licence or insurance was not progressed by the Crown Prosecution Service because there has to be driver fault involved. Police missed a six-month deadline to charge him with a lesser offence of driving without a licence or insurance.

The inquest continues.