Emotions run high as coroner rules on death of Slough teen killed in hit-and-run

Emotions ran high yesterday (Tuesday) at the inquest of an 18-year-old who was killed during a hit-and-run with a van driver.

Voluntarily appearing as a witness, the van driver left Reading Coroners' Court suddenly during his testimony before later returning and apologising.

Slough teenager Adam Selim Bouaziz was struck down while crossing the road at about 5.30pm on February 22, 2024. He was declared dead at the scene soon after.

That day, Adam had been travelling towards the Red Lion Supermarket in Colnbrook by bus.

He got off a stop or two prior to this on Horton Road near Popes Close, crossed in front of the bus, and was hit by the van driver overtaking it.

Witnesses reports differed on how fast they thought the van was going.

Adam hit the bonnet of the van, a grey Mercedes Sprinter, landed on the ground and was then run over by the same van.

It is thought that this, rather than the initial impact, is what gave him the ‘catastrophic’ head injuries leading to his death.

The van driver, Jordan Ford, 33, of Vicarage Way, Colnbrook, did not stop at the scene – but he later handed himself into the police.

He was arrested for causing death by dangerous driving, but was never charged with this offence, nor the less serious charge of causing death by careless driving.

Indeed, though two people were originally arrested in connection with Adam’s death, no one was prosecuted for it.

However, Ford was charged with and pleaded guilty to a number of other driving offences at East Berkshire Magistrates' Court in July this year.

This included failure to stop at the scene, failure to report the incident to police, and using a vehicle in a condition likely to cause injury.

He also pleaded guilty to ‘driving without due care and attention’, but this was not in relation to this incident.

What witnesses said

That day, witnesses say the ground was wet from recent rain but that visibility was good as it was still light outside.

The bus driver saw the impact from about five yards away. He said Adam ‘ran in front of the bus’ to cross the road and ‘didn’t look or stop to check the road was clear'.

He said he thought that the van driver was going about 40mph. He said the van slowed but did not stop and ‘accelerated off.’ The whole incident unfolded in about 10 seconds, he said

However, another witness, a fellow bus passenger, said Adam ‘looked to the right’ before crossing, and that the van ‘came from nowhere’ and seemed to be going ‘very fast, 60 to 80 mph'.

Paramedics arrived nine minutes after an ambulance was called, but Adam was pronounced dead at the scene.

Investigations found ‘clear damage’ to the van, and a compilation of CCTV, Ring doorbell and dashcam footage showing the van’s movements that day – though none of the impact itself.

When he handed himself into the police, Ford denied he was driving dangerously but otherwise made no comment.

What Ford said

Jordan Ford himself spoke at the inquest – which presiding assistant coroner for Berkshire, Ian Wade KC, remarked was unexpected.

Ford confirmed he had been driving for about 15 years and was familiar with the van, which he used for work.

He confirmed he was ‘fine’ at the time and had not been on alcohol or drugs. He said he was alone in the car and can’t remember what speed he was going.

“I’ve never known that area to have a bus stop and I have lived here for 15 years,” he said. “I know he [Adam] came out of nowhere and that’s all I remember.”

He said that he does not believe there is anything he could have done to avoid striking Adam down that day.

Ford became visibly agitated during questioning and said repeatedly: “That’s all I’m going to say. I’m done. I don’t want to talk about it.”

Dr Elliott Courcha, a barrister representing Adam’s family, asked Ford about the speed limit. He said from the police report, it was about 50mph on that stretch, going down to 30mph.

But Ford disagreed with this and insisted it was 60mph.

He said: “I feel like I’m getting interrogated. It’s been going on for two years and I’ve had enough.”

At this point, Ford got up and left the coroner’s court.

After he left, Mr Wade said he did not think it would be right to try to prevent Ford from leaving.

He said he would consider it a contempt of court, but given the circumstances, would not pursue it further.

“I was impressed that Mr Ford attended the inquest [at all] – I did not expect that he would,” he said.

Soon after, Ford asked to return, and he apologised to the court. He confirmed he did not feel able to continue giving evidence.

Mr Wade said he was ‘impressed’ by this ‘responsible and respectful’ act – and added that his contribution had been important and helpful.

Conclusion

Mr Wade noted that Ford had ‘not provided an account of his driving’ and that his reply of ‘I don’t know’ to various questions was likely his ‘token response’ as a result of his distress.

Nonetheless, he felt from the evidence that Ford had likely not been going over the speed limit that day, and that Ford’s account had been ‘plausible and not fanciful.’

Ford’s conclusion that he could not have done anything to prevent the collision was consistent with the findings of the police investigation, Mr Wade added.

He concluded that it was ‘very unlikely’ Ford would have been able to respond to Adam being in the road, given how suddenly it happened, and thus the impact was ‘unavoidable.’

There was also ‘nothing to prevent’ his running over Adam while he was lying in the road.

As such, Adam’s death was ‘tragic’ but ‘almost inevitable,’ Mr Wade said.

Though it was ‘reprehensible’ of Ford to drive away after hitting Adam, his guilty plea in court ‘indicates a maturity and sense of civic responsibility,’ Mr Wade said.

The coroner did not return a conclusion of death by ‘accident’ or ‘misadventure’ as he said these were ‘unhelpful’ terms and likely to be misunderstood.

Instead, the conclusion is simply one of death by road traffic collision.

Tributes

Mr Wade acknowledged that what Adam’s parents have gone through is ‘inconceivable’ and ‘utterly devastating.’

He said: “I extend my deepest sympathy to Mr and Mrs Bouaziz.

“I hope they will treasure the good moments and not dwell on this event.”

A tribute from Adam’s family, Tracy, Slim and Zak, given in February last year, reads:

“As a family, we are beyond devastated; our boy was made of pure sunshine, and never had a bad bone in his body.”

“We need to tell the world how proud we are to have had his beautiful soul in our lives, and how the privilege of being his parents and brother, along with his memory will never die.

“We hope our boy will rest in internal peace, and know he will remain in our hearts forever.”