12-yr-old driver's crash death 'a tragic accident

Inquest hears how car had crossed into path of truck

- DAVID RALEIGH

THE death of a 12-year-old driver who veered straight into the path of an articulated truck was a "tragic accident", an inquest has found.

Wiktor Chojecki, from Newcastle West, Co Limerick, died in the impact, which occurred just outside the village of Adare on February 11 last year.

The inquest, held at Limerick Coroner's Court, Kilmallock, heard that the boy, originally from Poland, took his mother's Nissan Qashqai from their home as his family slept.

The truck driver, Marek Spocinski, also a Polish native, from Nenagh, Co Tipperary, was not injured, but he was left severely shaken by the tragedy.

Mr Spocinski was in no way at fault and had no chance of avoiding the oncoming car driven by the boy, the inquest heard yesterday.

Video footage of the collision was provided to gardai by Mr Spocinski's employers.

The footage recorded from a dash I cam that was mounted on the front of the truck, showed the Nissan Qashqai travel across the road and straight into Mr Spocinski's path before 2am.

TRAUMATIC

In a deposition read out on his behalf, Mr Spocinski stated that the Qashqai "turned right into my path".