A YOUNG motorist who hit a pedestrian on a dark country road could have done nothing to avoid the fatal accident, an inquest heard yesterday.

Denis Carr died on the A177 between Sedgefield and Coxhoe, in County Durham, after he was struck by a vehicle.

An inquest in Chester-le- Street heard that the 29-yearold was seen kneeling over his dog in the middle of the unlit road shortly before he was hit.

The driver of the car, Peter Simpson, said he knew nothing of Mr Carr’s presence until he felt a bump.

Mr Simpson, who is in his mid-20s and lives near Durham City, was driving at about 45mph in the early hours of Sunday, November 2, last year. He said he saw a minibus on the opposite carriageway flashing its headlights, but did not realise it was trying to warn him of the hazard that lay ahead.

Mr Simpson’s Vauxhall Corsa hit factory worker Mr Carr, from Wolsey Close, Spennymoor, County Durham.

He and his dog died at the scene. A post-mortem examination revealed he had been drinking and using cannabis, which could have impaired his judgement.

PC Nigel Craig, of Durham Police, said the combination of Mr Carr’s dark clothing, his position knelt over his light coloured dog and lack of movement would make him almost invisible.

The inquest also heard that 90 minutes before the tragedy, two police officers spoke to Mr Carr after they saw his Japanese akita dog Lennox was loose.

He told them he was walking from his girlfriend’s home in Sedgefield to his father’s house in Ferryhill, so they suggested a quieter, lit route.

Coroner Andrew Tweddle asked what Durham Police’s policy was for leaving someone in such circumstances.

PC Craig said a person would be taken into custody if they were in such a poor state there were fears for his or the public’s safety and that although Mr Carr had clearly been drinking, he had answered questions and tethered the dog as requested to by the officers.

Recording a verdict of accidental death, Mr Tweddle said: “Mr Simpson could not have taken any other action to avoid the collision. Mr Carr was largely the author of his own misfortune. It was clearly not a sensible thing to do.”