Loss of control by the driver of a high-performance sports car led to the death of his passenger, an inquest heard.

Saleswoman Victoria Hutchings, 34, was a passenger in the yellow Lotus Esprit of her close friend Simon Kent, 35, of Little Dunmow on August 10 last year when he lost control of the vehicle on the B184 between High Roding and Dunmow and hit a tree.

The Esprit was behind a queue of vehicles as they emerged from a 30mph to a 60mph stretch towards Dunmow.

Witness Terry Gray, a driver in the queue, told the Epping hearing he heard a noise from behind.

"I looked in my mirror to see a yellow car had come up behind us and was revving its engine loudly. The yellow car overtook us and the red car in front in one go and within seconds had got some distance in front.

"There was a puff of dust from the nearside of the vehicle and it seemed to swerve across the road," he said.

Mr Gray said the car came back across the road and hit a tree on the nearside and exploded into flames.

He found Mr Kent lying disorientated near the Esprit and Miss Hutchings' body in the car.

The inquest heard Miss Hutchings, of Holloway Crescent, Leaden Roding, died instantly on impact with the tree and Mr Kent suffered 90 per cent burns to his body.

PC Richard Gould, of the Essex Police traffic investigations unit, said there was no evidence of pre-impact defects to the vehicle or road.

"It was a twin turbo engine V8 Lotus Espirit car and has a top speed of 172mph. It is very light and very, very fast.

"The driver failed to control his vehicle when faced with oncoming traffic.

"As soon as he touched that nearside verge the best driver in the world could not have retained control of that vehicle within the confines of the public road. The action of the driver led to his loss of control and the consequent tragic loss of life."

A verdict of accidental death was recorded by Essex coroner Caroline Beasley-Murray.

Published Wednesday, September 22, 2004

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