A teenager had smoked cannabis before a fatal collision, an inquest heard.
Logan Douglas Soakell, 19, was killed in the crash on Salter’s Lane, Haswell, on September 6 last year, while his pillion passenger, Brandon Haswell, suffered life-changing injuries.
A hearing at Crook Civic Centre heard no reason could be found for why he lost control of the Honda GLC 125cc, with no witnesses or CCTV coverage.
The court heard high speed was not a factor in the incident, with police estimating he was travelling at 37mph in a 30mph zone.
It could also not be established whether the injuries caused to Mr Soakell were due to contact with his bike, pavement or pole.
Toxicology reports found what assistant senior coroner for County Durham and Darlington Crispin Oliver termed “very high” levels of THC – psychoactive constituent of cannabis – in his system.
This showed he had smoked the drug “immediately prior to the incident”…
