Rapid response medic Dr John Hinds died of multiple injuries, inquest hears
A rapid response medic who volunteered his skills at motorcycle racing events died of multiple traumatic injuries, an inquest into his death heard.
Irish road racing volunteer Dr John Hinds (35), an anaesthetist at Craigavon Hospital in Co Armagh, died at Beaumont Hospital on July 4 2015 following a road crash.
The incident happened near Skerries, Co Dublin as Dr Hinds followed race contenders during a practice session for the Skerries 100 on July 3 2015.
sad news today that @DocJohnHinds has succumbed to injuries he received at Skerries Road Races. #ripdocjohn pic.twitter.com/eAhvZDRADF
— Davy Graham #30 (@dggkcoaching30) July 4, 2015
Dr Hinds was a volunteer for the Motorcycle Union of Ireland (MCUI), providing rapid response medical aid at road race meetings north and south of the border.
He died after his motorcycle hit a wall on public road that was subject to a road closure order to facilitate the races.
Dr Hinds' partner Dr Janet Acheson and his mother Josephine Hinds attended the opening of an inquest into his death at Dublin Coroner’s Court.
Dr Hinds, from Co Down died as a result of multiple traumatic injuries, according to an autopsy performed by pathologist Professor Mary Leader at Beaumont Hospital.
Gardai are trying to obtain video footage connected to the incident posted on the internet following the race. It is understood the video footage was recorded by a spectator and posted to the social media site Facebook. Gardai are trying to identify the poster in order to view the footage, the court heard.
Counsel for the family Alan Keating raised a number of ‘issues of concern’ including the road closure order issued by Fingal County Council, which will be reviewed by Coroner Dr Myra Cullinane ahead of a full inquest hearing due to take place in October.
The situation is unusual, the coroner said, because under normal circumstances An Garda Siochana investigate the circumstances of a road traffic collision and provide technical reports relating to the scene, however in the case of Dr Hinds' death ‘that was not the strict sequence of events’, Dr Cullinane said.
“We are aware of that and are trying to compile the most complete set of documents to assist this inquiry,” Dr Cullinane said.
Bystander accounts of the incident will be reviewed and may form part of the inquest hearing, the court heard. In addition, the coroner’s office has received a number of documents including a report of a pre-race inspection of the track, a map and photographs of the scene, a code of motorcycle practice and an incident report.
The inquest was adjourned until July for further mention with a full hearing scheduled for October.
