Tragedy of drunken man crushed by bus

A drunken man was killed after his pelvis was crushed under the wheel of a bus in Chadderton in December, 2012, an inquest heard.

Darren Lee McCann, of Rockcliffe Villa, Haworth Street, Coldhurst, was run over by the First Manchester double-decker bus shortly after 5pm on December 20, 2012, in Garforth Street, near Burnley Lane.

The unemployed 39-year-old, who had a history of drink and drug dependency, was seen by witnesses at the time to be stumbling around in the dark. Street lights were on and it was raining heavily.

Witness Ann Nasters saw him walking into oncoming traffic on Chadderton Way, near to the junction with Burnley Lane, seemingly oblivious to what was going on.

CCTV images from the 182 bus, from Rochdale to Piccadilly, confirm that Mr McCann, a father-of-two, crossed Burnley Lane in front of the bus.

The driver, Afzal Younis, said that he slowed down to allow Mr McCann to cross the road and reach the pavement before turning the tight left corner into Garforth Street.

The CCTV then shows Mr McCann, dressed in dark clothes, stepping back into the road into the path of the bus and either falling or being knocked over by the bus before the back wheels crossed over his pelvis.

Giving a conclusion of misadventure senior coroner Simon Nelson said: “Mr McCann would not have been in control or have enough spatial awareness of his surroundings at that time.”

He added: “Mr Younis did everything that was expected of him at the time. I have no doubt this will have affected you and it is something that would never leave a person.”

No criminal proceedings were brought as a result of the incident and the matter was not referred to the Crown Prosecution Service.
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