A popular student who died after being struck by a car most likely “inadvertently strayed” into the A64 after a night out, an inquest was told.
George Edward Sawyer, 18, died instantly in the collision on the eastbound carriageway of the road near Bilbrough Top in the early hours of 27 March last year.
The inquest heard there was nothing the driver could have done to avoid him.
A post mortem found that George, from Farnley Tyas near Huddersfield, died as a result of a blunt head injury.
Toxicology results showed that he had a blood-alcohol level of 263 milligrams of alcohol per 100 millilitres of blood, more than three times the drink-drive limit.
This level of alcohol consumption would affect vision, balance, sense of direction and decision making, the report said.
On the evening of on 26 March, George, who was in his second year studying agriculture at Askham Bryan College at the time, had joined student friends at the Three Hares pub at Bilbrough.
Ellie Chapman was there that night. Her statement was read out at the inquest in Northallerton by coroner Jonathan Leach.
“We had heard that the pub was closing, and this was the last night,” Ellie said. “It was busy.”
She added: “Everyone was really drunk. It was a free bar and a bit of a free-for-all.” She left at about 11pm.
Students could walk back from the pub to the college via a footpath next to the A64 dual carriageway.
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George’s friend and fellow student Jack Allanson, 17, said in a statement that he hadn’t gone to the Three Hares that night.
He was woken at about 12.45am on 27 March by a phone call from George. He said he was on his way back to the college from the pub and asked for a lift.
But later in the call, George said he could see the gates of the college and was nearly back so not to worry. He “seemed normal and happy enough”, Jack said.
Later investigations put the time when George was struck by the car at about 1.18am.
The inquest then heard a statement from Artur Kalalskec, an HGV driver for Tesco. He was on his way to make a delivery to the supermarket in Tadcaster Road, York, when he saw a body in the road.
He steered his lorry around the body then came to a stop close to two cars that were parked in a lay-by further along the road.
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Mr Kalalskec left his lorry and was quickly approached by a man and a woman. He said to them that there was a body in the road, and one of them asked “Are you sure?” to which he said yes.
Police and ambulance crews arrived quickly. On-duty paramedic Laura Gill said she arrived at 1.40am. She pronounced George dead ten minutes later.
Paul Bailey-Hague was the driver of the car that was in collision with George. He told the inquest that he had held a driving licence for more than 20 years, and drove along the A64 on a weekly basis.
That night he was returning to his York home from Leeds Bradford Airport in his BMW M3. He said his speed was set at 70mph by cruise control and he had his dipped headlights on.
The collision “just happened really fast,” Mr Bailey-Hague said. He told police, “I don’t know where he came from or what he was doing there”.
He added: “One minute I’m there, the next minute my windscreen’s smashed and I pulled over.”
TC Paul Harris, from the North Yorkshire Police forensic collision investigation unit, went to the incident that night and produced a report on what happened.
He told the inquest that the weather that night was cold and dry with little wind and the road surface, markings and signs were all in good order.
There were no street lights on this stretch of the road, and George was wearing a light coloured T-shirt and jeans.
Mr Bailey-Hague’s BMW was in good working order. After the collision, the windscreen was shattered, the front bumper and trim were damaged, the front near headlight was smashed and the bonnet was crumpled.
The collision caused George “catastrophic injuries”.
Based on the car travelling at around the speed limit of 70mph, the driver could not have reacted to the presence of George in the road before impact, TC Harris told the inquest.
“George Sawyer was in a very intoxicated state, and most likely inadvertently strayed into the A64 carriageway while attempting to make his way back to Askham Bryan College,” the officer said.
In his conclusion, the coroner Mr Leach said George came from a loving and supportive family.
On the night of his death, he was on his way back to his room in Askham Bryan College when it appeared that he strayed into the eastbound carriageway of the A64, was struck by a vehicle and died instantaneously.
According to the police investigation “there was nothing Mr Bailey-Hague could have done to avoid the collision”.
He concluded that the death was caused by a road traffic collision. Mr Leach gave his condolences to George’s family.
After his death last year, his teachers at Askham Bryan College said George “was an outstanding, dedicated, knowledgeable and skilled student with a great passion for the course and agriculture in general.
“George will also be remembered for his brilliant sense of humour, the ability to make everyone in a room smile and to always lift the mood and get everyone working.
“He was a pleasure to teach, perfectly balancing a cheeky character and great sense of humour with a willingness to work and succeed that made him so popular among staff and fellow students alike.”