Cannock man died after being hit by a car

Paul Felton, from Cannock, stepped into the path right out in front of Brad Anslow’s Hyundai Coupe on Belt Road, Cannock, in January this year.

An inquest heard how Mr Anslow had no time to react and was not responsible for 60-year-old Mr Felton’s death.

Coroner Andrew Haigh – ruling out suicide and being drunk – said he was unable to say why Mr Felton, from Cannock, had stepped into the road and ruled he had died from a road traffic collision.

An inquest at Cannock Coroners Court on Tuesday afternoon heard how Mr Anslow was driving from his girlfriend’s home to work when his car struck Mr Felton around 7.10am on January 23.

Mr Anslow, from Wolverhampton, explained: “I was used to the control of the car as I have owned it for around two years now.

“I was early for work as usual and I know the road quite well.

“I believe it was a dry morning and not too busy, just normal. It was really dark. I was going round the island as usual, looked right and nothing was coming so I carried on and exited and couldn’t see anything in my way.

“Then, out of nowhere, I had Paul in front of my car – within a split second I hit him.

“I pulled up and went over straight away. A woman stopped as well and I asked her to call for an ambulance. I checked Paul’s pulse and it was still going.”

Asked about his speed in the 30mph zone, Mr Anslow added he was travelling at 25mph ‘but accelerating’.

“There was no opportunity to avoid him, it happened so fast,” he said.

Expert forensic evidence from sergeant Ben Foster from Staffordshire Police corroborated Mr Anslow’s story.

He confirmed the maximum speed he could have been travelling was 24mph, and the slowest 18mph, and Sergeant Foster also added Mr Anslow would have had no time to react.

Further evidence provided by sergeant Foster heard how Mr Felton was wearing dark clothing with no reflective gear.

One person who saw Mr Felton claimed she had smelt alcohol on his breath but this was disputed by his family and friends who claimed he never drank. A neighbour said he had only ever seen Mr Felton drink once, and that was one glass of cider.

Mr Felton was rushed to Royal Stoke Hospital and died on Saturday January 28.

No criminal charges were brought against Mr Anslow.