Coroner's Finding: Lomas, Corey Ronald

MAGISTRATES COURT of TASMANIA

CORONIAL DIVISION Record of Investigation into Death (Without Inquest) Coroners Act 1995 Coroners Rules 2006 Rule 11 I, Olivia McTaggart, Coroner, having investigated the death of Corey Ronald Lomas Find, pursuant to Section 28(1) of the Coroners Act 1995, that a) The identity of the deceased is Corey Ronald Lomas; b) Mr Lomas died as a result of injuries sustained in a single motorcycle crash; c) The cause of death was head and cervical spine injuries; and d) Mr Lomas died on 29 November 2018 at Brighton, Tasmania.

In making the above findings I have had regard to the evidence gained in the comprehensive investigation into Mr Lomas’ death. The evidence includes:  The police report of death;  An opinion of the forensic pathologist;  Affidavits of identification and life extinct;  Toxicology report;  Ambulance Tasmania records;  Crash investigator’s opinion regarding the circumstances of the crash;  Transport inspector’s report regarding the condition of the motorcycle;  Affidavits of two Forensic Services officers who examined and photographed the motorcycle and scene of death;  Affidavit of Helen Lomas, Mr Lomas’ grandmother;  Affidavit of Melissa Hyland, Mr Lomas’ girlfriend;  Affidavit of Jarrod McKenna, owner of the motorcycle involved in the crash; and  Affidavits of eyewitness motorists – Laurie Bourke, James Nicholson and Charles Stanford.

Corey Ronald Lomas was born in Hobart on 9 October 1991 and was aged 27 years at his death. He was the eldest of three children to Steven Wellington and Tracey Lomas. Tracey Lomas passed away in 2013. Mr Lomas was raised by his grandmother, Helen Lomas, after the passing of his mother.

Mr Lomas was not married but was the father of three children - Izabella, Kade and Elijah - from two former relationships. He lived with his grandmother, Helen Lomas, and daughter, Izabella, in Berriedale. At the time of his death, he was employed by TasTrans as a truck driver and storage hand. Mr Lomas was the holder of a Medium Rigid driver licence. He had previously held a Novice Learner motorcycle licence but that licence had been cancelled. He was therefore not licenced to drive a motorcycle. Mr Lomas had no significant health issues.

On Thursday 29 November 2018 at approximately 10.20pm, Mr Lomas was riding a Yamaha YZF-R1 motorcycle in a northerly direction on the Midlands Highway after having left the roundabout at the junction with the East Derwent Highway. He was driving from the home of his grandmother to the home of his girlfriend, Ms Hyland, at Pontville where he intended to stay the night.

Mr Lomas had borrowed the motorcycle from his friend, Jarrod McKenna, the previous day with the intention of riding it in the annual Motorcycle Riders Association Toy Run. The motorcycle was not registered and did not meet the roadworthiness standards required for registration. It appears from the evidence that the headlights of the motorcycle may not have been operating correctly, a fact of which Mr Lomas was aware and had tried to rectify earlier in the evening.

Before driving to Ms Hyland’s home, it is clear that Mr Lomas consumed a significant amount of alcohol, likely beer, over a period of approximately 7 to 8 hours. At some time during this period, Mr Lomas also used methamphetamine. None of the persons providing affidavits in this investigation could assist with the circumstances of his ingestion of this illicit substance.

After leaving the roundabout at the junction with the East Derwent Highway, Mr Lomas overtook several vehicles at a very fast speed on the Midlands Highway, estimated by witnesses independently to be between 160 km/h and 200 km/h. The highway at that point comprised two northbound lanes and two southbound lanes divided by Brifen fencing. After overtaking the vehicles and attempting to negotiate a sweeping right hand bend, Mr Lomas lost control of the motorcycle. He left the roadway and the motorcycle impacted with the posts on the left-hand side of the road. This point was approximately 500 metres north of the roundabout adjacent to Crooked Billet Drive at the Brighton industrial estate.

I am satisfied, based upon witness and expert crash investigation analysis, that Mr Lomas was travelling well in excess of the speed limit of 110 km/h at the point of impact. Mr Lomas himself was thrown from the motorcycle and thrown against the left-hand side posts, causing fatal injuries. The motorcycle was forced back onto the roadway and largely disintegrated in the process of flipping and vaulting along the road surface. The motorcycle continued to travel

north until it was impacted by a vehicle travelling north in the eastern lane some 88 metres from the initial point of impact.

Ambulance and police officers attended the scene. Mr Lomas was deceased, having suffered severe head injuries which would have been rapidly fatal. A full police investigation followed, including expert crash reconstruction analysis by experienced Crash Investigation Services officer, Senior Constable Kelly Cordwell.

Toxicological testing of Mr Lomas’ blood showed that his blood alcohol content was 0.141g/100mL and also that he had used methamphetamine before the crash.

I am satisfied upon the evidence that there was no other vehicle involved in any way in the crash causing Mr Lomas’ death. I am also satisfied that there were no defects in the road which contributed to the crash.

Mr Lomas’ father raised the question of whether, before the crash, his son may have been disoriented by lighting at the scene. Senior Constable Cordwell reported that there was no lighting at the scene which could have distracted Mr Lomas. She reported that the large business now in the area, which faces north bound traffic, was under construction at the time and provided no light. She also reported that the crash occurred on the approach to a righthand curve and therefore vehicle lights coming from south bound traffic do not shine directly into the eyes of north bound traffic. I find that lighting played no part in this crash.

Comments and Recommendations Mr Lomas was riding at an excessively high speed whilst impaired by the effects of alcohol and methamphetamine. He held no current licence and was riding an un-roadworthy and unfamiliar motorcycle. These factors caused his death. Mr Lomas’ death, unfortunately, represents another avoidable motorcycle fatality.

The circumstances of Mr Corey Lomas’ death are not such as to require me to make any comments or recommendations pursuant to Section 28 of the Coroners Act 1995.

I convey my condolences to the family and loved ones of Mr Lomas.

Dated: 14 July 2020 at Hobart Coroners Court in the State of Tasmania.

Olivia McTaggart Coroner