Pickup crash victims hit on pavement, inquest told

Two men who died after being struck by a pickup truck were walking on the pavement when they were hit.

Aurelian Porfire, 49, and Dumitru Gheorghe Blidariu, 56, were identified earlier at Doncaster Coroner's Court as the inquest into their deaths opened.

The pair were struck by the Mitsubishi L200 on White Rose Way in the city on 13 September while walking with two others. The vehicle went on to hit two cars on the opposite carriageway. Four people were also seriously injured, police said at the time.

The 30-year-old pickup driver was arrested on suspicion of two counts of causing death by dangerous driving, two counts of causing serious injury by dangerous driving and driving while unfit.

He has since been released on bail.

The inquest opening heard the driver had stopped at the scene and was assisting police with inquiries.

Area coroner Louise Slater was told that the two men killed were Romanian nationals whose families did not live in the UK and had been informed of their deaths by the Romanian embassy and police.

The court heard Porfire had been carrying his ID card and passport in a trouser pocket, while Blidariu's driving licence was found in a bag at the scene.

PC Emily Hough, the officer in the case, told the court the investigation into the circumstances of their deaths was "in its infancy".

"Police are investigating what caused the road traffic collision and this is going to be a long, drawn-out process," she said.

The officer confirmed police were confident the men had been appropriately identified with the help of their families.

No date was set for a full inquest.

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