Verdict on road racer’s death; inquest hears of reports into spectator on track

An inquest into the death of road racer Darren Keys has returned its verdict.

Northern Ireland rider Keys died in 2019 after an accident at the Walderstown road racing event.

A jury at Dublin Coroner’s Court delivered a judgement of death by misadventure, almost six years on from his passing, The Irish Times report.

Inquest verdict into Darren Keys' death

The court heard that Keys’ cause of death was multiple traumatic injuries in a motorcycle racing accident.

Reports of a spectator on the track caused the marshals to raise a red flag, the inquest was told.

A second red flag was then raised, the inquest heard, as three riders came to a bend on the road.

The first two riders slowed down but the third rider, Keys, struck them.

The front tyre of Keys’ bike hit the rear tyre of the rider in front, the inquest was told. Keys lost control and crashed into a residential wall.

Garda Sgt Thomas Brennan, a forensic collision investigator, ruled that there had been the “slightest touch” between the tyres of Keys and the rider in front of him, The Irish Times also report.

He ruled that the impact caused Keys to crash into a safety barrier, slide under it, then hit the wall.

Sgt Brennan said Keys would have been travelling at “a significant speed” but didn’t put an exact number on it.

Dr Aidan Grufferty, who led the medical team at the race, said Keys had no pulse and was not breathing when he was found. Life support measures were carried out, he said.

Keys was pronounced dead later at Mater Hospital.

A seven-person jury at the inquest into their death recommended that Motorcycling Ireland look into the effectiveness of their safety barriers.

They also recommended a review into spectator control, and possible in-helmet communications between riders and race directors.