FOUR friends were killed in an horrific car smash in which the driver was more than three times over the drink drive limit an inquest heard.
Driver John David Aston, 20, of Liverpool Road and his three passengers Michaela Favager, 19, of Frobisher Road, Gillian Fowle, 43, of Ringway and Edward Thomas Smith, 19 , of Reins Croft all died in the crash in the early hours of July 19 2009.
The inquest held at Chester Magistrates Court heard how John and Edward had been to a friends 19th birthday party on the evening of the crash.
Edward Smith’s sister Joanne Smith told the court she had seen them both drinking at the party before they left and went to the Brewers Arms Pub. CCTV taken from the pub after the crash also showed John drinking from a bottle. The pair then left the pub with their friends Michaela and Gillian who also worked in the bar.
The inquest heard it was a taxi driver who first spotted the mangled wreckage on the car on the A540 Chester High Road and called the emergency services just after 2am.
Collision investigator Peter Macdonald told the court the car had spilt in two on impact and it had been travelling at around 65mph when the driver lost control in the 40mph zone.
Toxicology reports found that at the time of the crash John was more than three times over the legal drink drive limit.
Deputy Coroner Janet Napier recorded all four were killed by multiple injuries as a result of an accident.
After the inquest Michaela Favager’s family revealed they disagreed with the verdict. They said in a statement: “No verdict returned can bring our lovely Michaela back - there is no silver lining. All we can now hope for is that others may learn from this tragic, needless and so easily avoidable carnage.”
All four families thanked Cheshire Police for their support during and after the investigation.
