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Gloucestershire Business News

Retired GP dies in the Cotswolds

Retired GP Dr Adam Kowalczyk, 68, died after falling from his mobility scooter into the path of a passing coach near his Cirencester home, an inquest was told on Thursday (January 26).

Dr Kowalczyk, who had worked at Eldene Surgery, Swindon, before his retirement, was riding his scooter along the pavement of London Road, towards his home at The Meadows, Poulton, when tragedy struck on March 14, 2022, the inquest heard.

He was negotiating a slope in the pavement and appeared to lean to one side, making the vehicle unstable so that it toppled over and his head was hit by the coach's wheel hub as it passed.

The doctor died at Southmead Hospital, Bristol, three weeks later, on April 4, 2022, from traumatic brain injury, the inquest was told.

Assistant Gloucestershire Coroner Roland Wooderson recorded an accidental death conclusion on Dr Kowalczyk, a father of two whose barrister son Alex Carington attended yesterday's hearing.

Gloucestershire Police collision investigator PC Gemma Carman said she attended the scene of the collision on the A417 London Road at 6.42pm. It was close to Dr Kowalczyk's home.

She saw a green coach and a GoGo Elite mobility scooter, which was in very good condition, she stated. The scooter's maximum speed was 4mph and the speed lever was set at about three quarters of that.

The officer said that a police vehicle examiner found the scooter was functioning correctly but he felt it was 'quite unstable and liable to tip.'

However, there was no evidence of any defect or mechanical failure which could have contributed to the accident.

The coach was in a good, clean condition and it was test driven by an officer who is a qualified coach driver and he found no issues with it. The coach's tachograph showed it had been driving within the speed limit at the time of the collision.

PC Carman said dashcam footage from the vehicle showed Dr Kowalczyk riding along the pavement in the direction of Poulton with what appeared to be a camera in his hand. He was then seen to fall from the scooter, head first into the path of the passing coach.

There was a slope in the pavement at the point where the doctor fell and it was while negotiating that slope that he appeared to turn towards the house and lean out to the left.

"This caused the scooter to become unstable and topple over towards the road," she said.

"The deceased fell and his upper body was in the path of the coach. The coach driver took avoiding action but was unable to evade the vehicle, which collided with him. His head was in collision with the wheel hub, causing serious head injury.

"The cause of the collision appears to be him manoeuvring the vehicle down the slope and turning or leaning, which made the vehicle unstable."

The officer said the maximum weight limit for the scooter was 147 kilos, 23 stone 3lbs. The coroner asked Dr Kowalczyk's son what his father weighed.

Mr Carington said his father's weight was a 'State Secret' but he believed he weighed about 21 stones.

Mr Carington added that the family wished to pass on their regards to the coach driver, Andy Laity.

He said it had been a 'horrible experience' for him.

The coroner recorded a conclusion of accidental death, saying "It was the fall from his mobility scooter which caused the traumatic brain injury which led to his death. Sadly, for whatever reason, there was a fall from the scooter into the path of the vehicle.

"He was manoeuvring down a slope and this caused his vehicle to become unstable and he fell into the path of the coach.

"I know that the deceased was a gentleman of somewhat heavy weight but it appears that his weight was within the limit set by the manufacturers of the mobility scooter."

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