Schoolboy, 5, was killed working out right into a busy street as he tried to search out his brothers, inquest hears
A five year old schoolboy was killed running out into a busy road as he tried to find where his older brothers were playing, an inquest has heard.
Dexter Chapman was struck by a car on the 60mph A390 road at Penpillick Hill at Par, Cornwall, one afternoon in April last year.
A coroner said he had seen dashcam footage from a nearby car of the collision which he would not show to the inquest.
An inquest in Truro, Cornwall, heard that Dexter had been playing in the front garden with his brothers when the older siblings went to play on a swing in a neighbour’s garden.
Assistant coroner Stephen Covell said: ‘It is likely Dexter left home to search for his brothers who had gone off to a neighbour’s garden.’
However, the blonde haired boy went down a track towards the main road where witnesses saw him look right and left as he stood on an overgrown grass verge.
Mr Covell said Dexter may have misjudged the speed of the approaching car or not realised what he needed to look for as he had ‘no experience of crossing roads’.
The inquest heard that Dexter ran out into the three lane road and the car driver had no chance of avoiding him as he was driving at up to 45mph on the steep hill.

Dexter Chapman was struck by a car on the 60mph A390 road at Penpillick Hill at Par, Cornwall, one afternoon in April last year

Police at the scene where Dexter ran out into the road
The driver said in a statement that Dexter ran out in front of him in a split second and he braked hard but could not avoid hitting him. There were no defects on the car.
The schoolboy suffered catastrophic head and other injuries and despite aid given by passing drivers, he died at the scene.
Dexter’s parents said he was a ‘happy, active child’ who liked to be out and about and was a ‘cheeky story teller’.
The coroner recorded a road traffic collision conclusion.