An inquest heard how ‘all hell broke loose’ when a Frodsham motorcyclist crashed into a car in Tarporley.

Philip Evanson, 55, from Frodsham was riding a red and black Honda motorcycle at around 9.30pm on Friday, May 27, when he crashed into a black Fiat 500 on the A49 Tarporley Road.

The inquest at Chester Magistrates Court today (Wednesday, October 12) heard Mr Evanson was riding home after spending the day with his daughter, Chloe Evanson, and her children when the ‘tragic’ accident took place.

The father and grandfather, who was travelling towards Warrington on the A49 Tarporley Road on his motorcycle, died at the scene as a result of multiple injuries.

The inquest heard there could have been some confusion with the road layout as a result of the ‘worn and indistinct’ road markings after Mr Evanson attempted to overtake the driver, Gerald Rosser, who was in the third lane which turns right off the A49 Tarporley Road on to the exit slip road.

The junction of Tarporley Road and the A49 near Tarporley where motorcyclist Philip Evanson was tragically killed after being involved in a collision with a car
The junction of Tarporley Road and the A49 near Tarporley where motorcyclist Philip Evanson was tragically killed after being involved in a collision with a car

Mr Rosser, who was with his girlfriend at the time of the crash, told the inquest how “all hell broke loose” on the night of the accident.

“As I was going up the hill towards Tarporley Road, I looked in my mirrors and I could see a car and a bike light.

“As I went on over the brow, I could see the bike was going quickly.”

Mr Rosser said before turning right, he couldn’t see or hear the motorcycle trying to overtake his car.

“I turned in towards the Macdonald Hotel and that’s when all hell broke loose,” he added.

“I thought something had dropped from the sky - I didn’t see anything.

“All glass came across us and the next thing, all I can remember is stopping on a grass verge and telling my girlfriend to get out of the car because I didn’t know what had happened.

“The bike was in the trees and the rider was on the road behind the car.

“It was terrible - I just wish I wasn’t there - I wasn’t even supposed to be there, I was supposed to take another route. All I want to know is why.”

Assistant coroner for Cheshire Alan Moore read a statement from witness Natalie Johnson, who said she had seen Mr Evanson take a ‘brave’ manoeuvre shortly before the crash after overtaking two cars at a set of traffic lights near the scene.

Ms Johnson said the motorcyclist sped ahead and then turned right, but she did not see him again.

As she approached the scene, Ms Johnson said she saw a car parked on the grass verge so she turned around and went back to the scene before realising the man lying on the road was the motorcyclist she saw at the traffic lights.

PC Steve Binns, who configured a reconstruction of the crash, explained it was likely that Mr Evanson, who was travelling at about 40mph in the Whitchurch bound lane at the time of the crash, became trapped under the front of the car after being thrown over its roof and ending up behind the car.

“It is not known why he overtook the car when the driver was indicating to turn right,” he said. “It is a very unusual place to overtake.

“It is possible he mistook the right hand turn off lane as another lane as the road signage is not clear.”

Assistant coroner Mr Moore described the incident as a ‘tragic accident’.

“The question is why did he carry out an overtake at that point and why was he in the Whitchurch bound lane?

“The answer is we will never know - it is possible he was trying to get past the Fiat and thought he might make it.

“But what we do know is that it was a tragic accident.”

The coroner said Mr Evanson’s inquest gives ‘cause for concern another death could occur at the scene of this accident’ and he said he would be preparing a report to prevent future deaths on the road.