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| US bike trip death 'an accident' | |
| (11 minutes later) | |
| A student died after a crash with a lorry on a US highway right at the start of a 30,000-mile motorbike trip with his father, an inquest has heard. | |
| Cai ap Leslie, 18, from Gwynedd, was just 39 miles into the trip when a "catastrophic loss of power" led to his bike being struck by a delivery truck. | |
| The inquest in Caernarfon heard a "glutinous" material had blocked the brand new bike's carburettor. | The inquest in Caernarfon heard a "glutinous" material had blocked the brand new bike's carburettor. |
| Coroner Dewi Pritchard Jones recorded a verdict of accidental death. | Coroner Dewi Pritchard Jones recorded a verdict of accidental death. |
| The truck driver was never traced, and Cai died of his injuries in hospital in Los Angeles after the accident in July 2007. | The truck driver was never traced, and Cai died of his injuries in hospital in Los Angeles after the accident in July 2007. |
| His father Leslie Kay, 49, from Tregarth near Bangor, told the inquest Cai was a keen and experienced motorcyclist. | His father Leslie Kay, 49, from Tregarth near Bangor, told the inquest Cai was a keen and experienced motorcyclist. |
| Trip | Trip |
| The pair planned to ride through the western US, Canada, central and south America over 10 months. | The pair planned to ride through the western US, Canada, central and south America over 10 months. |
| But just hours after picking up two brand new Kawasaki KLR 650 bikes the accident happened. | But just hours after picking up two brand new Kawasaki KLR 650 bikes the accident happened. |
| Mr Kay said he had been given a check-list which showed the bikes had been checked, and both he and Cai had test-driven the machines around the dealership car park. | Mr Kay said he had been given a check-list which showed the bikes had been checked, and both he and Cai had test-driven the machines around the dealership car park. |
| When they set off Mr Kay was in the lead as he was navigating. | When they set off Mr Kay was in the lead as he was navigating. |
| Heavy traffic | Heavy traffic |
| "Everything was fine and we'd covered 30-odd miles," said Mr Kay. | "Everything was fine and we'd covered 30-odd miles," said Mr Kay. |
| "He'd come up alongside and given the appropriate hand signal that everything was ok," he added. | "He'd come up alongside and given the appropriate hand signal that everything was ok," he added. |
| Heavy traffic then separated them, and Mr Kay said he realised he could no longer see Cai. | Heavy traffic then separated them, and Mr Kay said he realised he could no longer see Cai. |
| He stopped and a passing motorist told him there had been a collision so he turned back to his son. | He stopped and a passing motorist told him there had been a collision so he turned back to his son. |
| "Cai was conscious and in a lot of pain," said Mr Kay. | "Cai was conscious and in a lot of pain," said Mr Kay. |
| Fuel blockage | Fuel blockage |
| "He told me he had been hit by a truck... and explained that his engine had cut out and that he was trying to get himself to safety." | "He told me he had been hit by a truck... and explained that his engine had cut out and that he was trying to get himself to safety." |
| The coroner said the details which had been sent over from the USA of the investigation into the circumstances of the accident were sketchy, and eye witness reports varied. | The coroner said the details which had been sent over from the USA of the investigation into the circumstances of the accident were sketchy, and eye witness reports varied. |
| Cai's family were unhappy at the way the bike was examined and paid for a bike expert to carry out his own examination. | Cai's family were unhappy at the way the bike was examined and paid for a bike expert to carry out his own examination. |
| He found that the bike carburettor contained 'glutinous' material which had stopped fuel getting to the engine. | He found that the bike carburettor contained 'glutinous' material which had stopped fuel getting to the engine. |
| One theory was it had got into the fuel accidentally when it was stored before being put into the bike. | One theory was it had got into the fuel accidentally when it was stored before being put into the bike. |
| Injuries | Injuries |
| PC Robert Davies from North Wales Police collision investigation unit, who studied the evidence, he thought as Cai's bike had slowed down the truck driver had not immediately realised what was happening. | PC Robert Davies from North Wales Police collision investigation unit, who studied the evidence, he thought as Cai's bike had slowed down the truck driver had not immediately realised what was happening. |
| Possibly the truck then took evasive action, but may have struck the rear of the bike causing Cai to lose control. | Possibly the truck then took evasive action, but may have struck the rear of the bike causing Cai to lose control. |
| His injuries were consistent with his bike falling on him. | His injuries were consistent with his bike falling on him. |
| Pathologist Dr Mark Lord said a post-mortem has already been carried out in the US, but his summary was that Cai had suffered multiple injuries, and died as a result of blood loss. | Pathologist Dr Mark Lord said a post-mortem has already been carried out in the US, but his summary was that Cai had suffered multiple injuries, and died as a result of blood loss. |
| Accident death | Accident death |
| The coroner said it was uncertain whether the lorry turned into Cai as he tried to get himself to safety. | The coroner said it was uncertain whether the lorry turned into Cai as he tried to get himself to safety. |
| "He was probably travelling at around 40 mph when the bike suffered a catastrophic loss of power, and his instinctive reaction was to try and get to his near-side to resolve the problem," he said. | "He was probably travelling at around 40 mph when the bike suffered a catastrophic loss of power, and his instinctive reaction was to try and get to his near-side to resolve the problem," he said. |
| Mr Pritchard Jones noted that death was due to "multiple blunt traumatic injury". | Mr Pritchard Jones noted that death was due to "multiple blunt traumatic injury". |
| After the inquest, Mr Kay said he now had "partial closure" on his son' death. | After the inquest, Mr Kay said he now had "partial closure" on his son' death. |
| Following his death Mr Kay went back to the States to ride part of the route they had planned. | Following his death Mr Kay went back to the States to ride part of the route they had planned. |
| "It was my way of dealing with it, it was better than being at home... I was trying to make it so that his death wasn't a waste," he said. | "It was my way of dealing with it, it was better than being at home... I was trying to make it so that his death wasn't a waste," he said. |
| Mr Kay added: "People have said they are so glad to have had the pleasure of meeting Cai. | |
| "He was a great kid. He was respected by everyone, including his college lecturers, despite his tendency to push for proper explanations for things. | |
| "He only ever wanted to do good to the people and things around him." | |
| The family have raised money for charity in memory of Cai, who had planned to study medicine. | The family have raised money for charity in memory of Cai, who had planned to study medicine. |
| Money has been donated to a charity working on bio-diversity projects in the third world, and a prize is awarded annually to a promising student at Coleg Llandrillo, where Cai had studied for his International Baccalaureate. | Money has been donated to a charity working on bio-diversity projects in the third world, and a prize is awarded annually to a promising student at Coleg Llandrillo, where Cai had studied for his International Baccalaureate. |