Yorkshire farm worker died in van crash after leaving party, inquest heard

Jordan Jamieson, 26, was found dead in the white Ford transit on Kirby Road near the village of Azerley, at around 3am on Sunday, July 26 in 2020.

An inquest held in Northallerton today heard the father-of-two, who was born in York, had been drinking with friends at an 18th birthday party, which was being held at a nearby farm shortly before the crash.

A post mortem examination found he had died after suffering multiple injuries. Cocaine and alcohol were also found in his system and he was over the legal limit for driving.

Taxi driver Carl Milner told the inquest he found the van by a bend in a narrow, unlit country road, on a dry and clear night, and phoned 999 immediately.

An investigation conducted by North Yorkshire found Mr Jamieson was not wearing a seatbelt and the speedometer of the van was stuck at 60mph, but it was unlikely that he was travelling at that speed.

The inquest heard he attempted to brake before the collision, but his brakes locked up.

Oliver Longstaff, assistant coroner for North Yorkshire, said the evidence shows Mr Jamieson crashed after he “failed to negotiate” a left-hand bend in the road and his death would have been “instantaneous”.

The coroner recorded a verdict of death by road traffic collision and said the driver was not wearing a seatbelt and that “might have made a difference given the likely speed at which the collision took place”.

“I've no doubt he is missed tremendously, not only by his mother who has conducted herself with commendable courage and dignity, but by a wider circle of family and friends,” he added.

In a statement, his mother Vicky Hughes said he worked at many farms in North Yorkshire and was “well known and highly thought of amongst the farming community”.

She added: “Jordan was a very sociable person and attended lots of farming gatherings. The farming community is like one big family and he was often involved in charity tractor rallies with his friends and colleagues.

“Jordan was a real charmer. He was a gentle giant and when he wasn't working, he was always smartly dressed in his designer labels.

“Following his death, a friend of his arranged a memorial gathering in one of the farmer's fields, it was amazing. I was astonished by how many people attended and it really reflected how well thought of and how popular he was.”