Speed a factor in father’s death

A 40-year-old father who was killed in a collision with a lorry in Long Sutton days before Christmas was going too fast for icy conditions, a coroner has ruled.

An inquest into his death at Boston Coroner’s Court last week heard Andrius Toliunas was driving along Centenary Way in Sutton Bridge at 9.22am on December 16, 2022 when his Vauxhall Meriva clipped the kerb and was sent into the path of an articulated lorry.
He died at the scene of multiple traumatic injuries, a post-mortem report concluded.
At the time Mr Toliunas’ family said the dad-of-one was on his way to his Sutton Bridge home from working at the Bakkavor factory.
The inquest heard there was no evidence of either of the drivers involved having taken drugs or alcohol.
Coroner Paul Cooper said the driver of the HGV, Mr Vigh, could have done nothing to avoid the incident.
Mr Vigh, who was driving below the speed limit at 35mph, was uninjured and went to check on Mr Toliunas, but he was unresponsive.
“I could see the car coming around the bend going very fast,” he told the inquest via a statement. “The road was icy, which is why I was moving slowly.
“It happened so fast and no matter how quickly I tried to press on my brakes, I couldn’t avoid it.
“The car was moving very fast and didn’t take any consideration of the icy conditions.”
The hearing was not told what speed police investigators thought Mr Toliunas was travelling at.
But investigating officer PC Sarah Capes said: “Speed was a likely factor. It was likely over and above what was appropriate for the conditions.
“The road conditions had a layer of frost and ice which would have lowered the amount of grip.”
Delivering a verdict of death by road traffic collision Mr Cooper said: “Mr Toliunas travelled around the bend too fast, endeavoured to correct his actions, breaking may have induced the clockwise rotation and the tyres were at the maximum grip limit.
“Unfortunately for him he hit the other vehicle which was travelling under the speed limit and there was nothing he could do to avoid the accident.
“The conclusion is one of driver error.
“My condolences go to the deceased’s family.”
Following the incident more than £3,000 was raised for Mr Toliunas’ wife of 17 years Ana and their then four-year-old son Aivaras.
Ana described Mr Toliunas as her ‘soulmate’.
“I am feeling the pain of his loss deep in my soul,” she said at the time.