Alcohol and speed contributed to the death of a retired Omakau man who died of acute respiratory damage, due to traumatic injuries from extreme pressure on his chest, after his car flipped and landed on its roof, on State Highway 85 on January 10 this year.
Brian Lester Stevenson (69) died at the scene of the crash and his passenger received serious injuries.
Southern region Coroner David Crerar heard Mr Stevenson had been drinking with his friend and the pair had left Black's Hotel at Ophir to go and look at trees that they were to cut down for firewood.
A postmortem examination revealed injuries to Mr Stevenson's chest had caused his death.
His blood-alcohol reading was 153mg/ml.
• Alcohol and and losing his balance were factors contributing to the death of Roxburgh man Herewini Nathan Walsh Waaka (44) on February 3 this year.
Mr Waaka was walking north just after midnight on the outskirts of Roxburgh when he was struck by a car travelling in the same direction.
Mr Crerar said the driver of the car, Israel Douwe Smith (17), was in no way to blame for the accident.
Mr Smith said he slowed when he saw Mr Waaka walking along the road, as he was going to offer him a lift home.
Mr Waaka turned and seemed to run out in front of him.
He did all he could to stop in time.
Serious crash investigator senior constable Alistair Crosland said his investigation showed Mr Waaka could have tripped and lost his balance, as there was an incline sloping down to the road from the footpath where he was walking.
Mr Crerar said the fact that Mr Waaka was not wearing brightly coloured clothing and had no light or torch with him were also factors.
