Talented Wellingborough MC who died in head-on crash was twice drink-drive limit

Dylan Mazhindu, 29, crashed on the A509 near Wollaston shortly after 5.30am on October 1 last year.

An inquest in Kettering yesterday (Thursday) heard that Mr Mazhindu had been out with friends in Bedford earlier that night.

He was driving his Mercedes close to the junction with London Road when he started drifting across the road, witnesses recalled.

His car collided with a white van, which flipped on its side and slid across the road.

Mr Mazhindu died at the scene after suffering catastrophic chest injuries.

A post-mortem examination found Mr Mazhindu had 167mlg of alcohol per 100ml of blood in his system.

The legal limit is 80.

The van driver was physically unhurt but said the incident had given him nightmares.

He said: “I was so scared I thought my van was going to go up in flames.

“It keeps going round in my head.

“As a result of this incident I am struggling to cope.

“I keep thinking about it over and over every day.”

Mr Mazhindu’s friend Joseph Hibbert told the inquest that they had been out partying in Bedford and that Mr Mazhindu had given him a lift home.

He said: “During the evening I only saw him with one alcoholic drink.

“He did not seem drunk.

“When we got back to the car he had a parking ticket and he saw it from a long distance.

“I would never have allowed him to drive if I knew he was intoxicated.”

Forensic collision investigator PC Brian Joseph told the inquest that neither driver was speeding and that neither vehicle had any defects.

He added that he couldn’t be sure how tired Mr Mazhindu was as it wasn’t known when he had woken that day.

A statement read on behalf of Dylan’s mother Magrene Burt paid tribute to her son.

She said: “The boy was well-loved by everyone who came into contact with him.

“He would light up the room whenever he came in.

“Dylan loved music and he was an MC known as DeTox.

“He was often asked to MC in Bedfordshire, Cambridgeshire and Northamptonshire.”

Mr Mazhindu lived in Luton before moving to Wellingborough two years ago.

After his death his family decided to set up a music foundation for disadvantaged and troubled youngsters, which they aim to launch on the anniversary of his death.

Recording a verdict of accidental death, senior coroner Anne Pember said: “I do believe that Dylan’s ability to drive would have been adversely affected by alcohol.”