A father convicted of a hit-and-run death over nine years ago died at the same South London bus stop in which he mowed down a hotel receptionist in December 2012.
Carpenter Nathan Davis, a 35-year-old dad of two, drove his Audi into the bus stop in Streatham High Road in Norbury, killing Veronica Chango-Alvarez, 31, and severely injuring a 51-year-old man, and was jailed for five years and four months, My London reports.
Chango-Alvarez passed away in the arms of her brother who later criticised the “ridiculous” sentence given to Davis, who was also disqualified from driving for six years and forced to pass an extended driving test.
Reports at the time detail how police were forced to hunt for Davis after he fled one scene after smashing into a Volkswagen, then later abandoning his Audi after causing the devastation at the bus stop.
The Inner South London Coroner’s court heard on Thursday how Davis, of Oaklands Estate in Clapham, was killed after he sped over 60mph down the same 30mph road on his black Yamaha motorcycle and collided with the advertising board at the bus stop on September 13, 2020.
He was thrown nearly 25m away onto the opposite pavement where he suffered “multiple open fractures and massive internal bleeding”.
He was rushed to St George’s Hospital in Tooting and put in intensive care, but died 12 days later from multiple organ failure brought on by the fractures to his spine, forearm, and pelvis.
Metropolitan Police forensic collision investigators found “no contaminants, no obstructions, no conditions that would have affected the collision”.
They added there were no issues with the bike, Davis was wearing all the correct gear, and there was no third party involvement or use of substances.
Serious collisions investigation unit detective constable Ann Downes told the court: “I found that back in 2012, he had collided with the same bus stop while driving in a car.
“On that occasion one pedestrian was killed and one seriously injured. He was sentenced to jail and ordered to take a retest.”
A route 50 bus driver recalled the moment he drove past “travelling about 50mph” on the opposite side of the road at 6:48am before smashing into the bus stop.
Another witness was “shocked and startled” as Davis went past “swerving” to avoid the central reservations, and thought “he was going to have an accident”.
In an emotional written statement to the court, Davis’ mum Teresa Burgess painfully recounted the life of her second son.
She said: “He was the most wonderful son, he lived life and loved family and friends, they were his top priority, especially his two boys.
“He would come home for dinner with his nieces and nephews laughing and joking.
“He was very fit and strong and most of the time he would ride a push bike.
“He was very creative, especially with carpentry. At the time of the incident he was helping to fit his sister’s kitchen.
“He was a very popular man and made friends everywhere he went and always stated when you asked what he was doing he was always making memories, he had a heart of gold.
“Life will never be the same for us, he touched so many lives.”
Making her conclusion, coroner Sarah Valentine said: “Nathan was an experienced motorcyclist and the motorcycle was in a good condition, the MOT and servicing was up to date.
“He was a family man and an integral part of the family. He was looking forward to the future with his family and two sons.
“There was nothing to suggest he was rushing and the road was familiar to him.”
She described how he was overtaking “above the speed limit” at 60mph in the moments prior to his crash.
She also confirmed the incident in 2012 was “not linked”.
She closed the hearing by returning the conclusion of Road Traffic Collision and offered her condolences to Davis’ family.