Coroner praises Elber’s dignity in the face of tragedy

A coroner has praised a woman, whose entire family was wiped out in a car crash in England caused by a suicidal driver, for her courage and dignity in the face of unspeakable tragedy, and for her selfless campaign to raise awareness of suicide risk assessment.

Cork’s city coroner, Dr Myra Cullinane, spoke directly to Elber Twomey yesterday after holding an inquest into the death of her husband, Con, from Newmarket, Co Cork, on May 3 2013, 10 months after he suffered devastating injuries in the horrific car crash in Devon.

Con’s 16-month-old infant Oisín, and Elber’sunborn daughter, Elber Marie, also died in the crash. Elber suffered severe injuries but survived.

The inquest into Oisín’s death, which was heard in England last November, established that Polish taxi driver, Marek Wojciechowski, 26, left a suicide note before deliberately swerving on to the wrong side of the A380 road at Hamelin Way in Devon, and accelerated his Vectra to ram head-on in to the Twomey family’s VW Golf as they were driving to catch a ferry home. Mr Wojciechowski died a short time after the crash.

Cork City Coroner’s Court heard yesterday that Con suffered severe traumatic brain injuries and multiple internal injuries and fractures in the crash and was treated in England before being transferred to CUH on August 8 2012.

On October 1, his level of consciousness deteriorated and a build-up of fluid in the brain caused an increase in pressure. His condition worsened further and he suffered numerous infections before he experienced intestinal failure.

Following consultation with his family, a treatment limiting course of action was agreed and he passed away on May 3, 2013.

His cause of death was chronic intestinal failure due to a traumatic perforation of the ileum, in association with brain injury and bone injuries due to a road traffic accident.

But Dr Cullinane said the cause of death was directly linked to the initial injuries he suffered in the car crash.

The jury returned a narrative verdict setting out the circumstances of the accident which was caused when Mr Wojciechowski deliberately drove his car in to the Twomey’s car in an attempt to take his own life.

Police in Britain have changed their operating procedures for dealing with the pursuit of suicidal drivers.

Elber has now dedicated her life to ensuring that gardaí are specially trained to deal with suicidal drivers and with people who are known or suspected to have suicidal ideation.

Speaking after the formal proceedings were concluded, Dr Cullinane said: “The public is aware and greatly moved by the unspeakable tragedy which befell you — the loss of your beautiful family.

“I think we would like to place on the record that you’ve shown great dignity and courage. And I commend you on your selfless work now in the area of suicide risk awareness.

“I know that it’s motivated by your wish that no family has to go through the devastating experience you’ve had to go through.”

Elber, who had to leave the courtroom for some of the distressing medical evidence, issued a statement afterwards.

“This has been a very difficult two years for me and I would appeal to the media to please respect my privacy,” she said.

“I am grateful to all those including politicians, charities, the media and ordinary Irish and British people who have helped support my campaign for greater road safety and enhanced training resources for the Garda Síochána so no other family has to endure the terrible loss that I have suffered.

“I especially wish to thank my family and Con’s family for their incredible support.”

Last week, two Oireachtas committees backed her campaign for gardaí to get special training to deal with suicidal drivers.

She is due to meet senior garda management soon to discuss her crusade.

But she is now focusing on the special remembrance event for her family in north Cork in early June.

The three-day Twomey Family Remorial Weekend of sport and fun will take place in Newmarket and Meelin from June 6 to 8.

It aims to raise up to €50,000 which will be split between the British hospitals which cared for her and her family in the immediate aftermath of the crash, and CUH, which cared for Con in the months before his death.

Some money will also be donated to suicide prevention charities Suicide Aware Cork, Inspire Ireland, 3Ts and Pieta House.

twomeyfamilyremorial.com