Southampton man Stanley Idoko died after crashing car because of epileptic seizure

Stanley Idoko, 37, died after his automatic BMW collided with a sub-station on Western Esplanade shortly after 11pm on September 30 last year.

An inquest held at Winchester Coroner’s Court heard he was a “hard-working, good person” who, between 2009 and 2013 had been under neurological care having experience seizures and was diagnosed with epilepsy.

• Tributes for Stanley Idoko killed in crash on Western Esplanade

He had been taking medication as prescribed up until his death and had been diagnosed with reactive depression in the summer of 2019 after experiencing stress and low moods.

On the evening of his death, Mr Idoko drove to Bournemouth with a friend to watch football in a pub and then returned home, dropping his friend off in the Millbrook area.

Coroner Jason Pegg told the inquest: “Stanley was still stressed and of low moods at the time of his death.

“He had a full driving licence for automatic vehicles only and regularly drove his motor vehicle, it seems to me he was very familiar with the vehicle.

“On September 30 having spent the evening watching football in Bournemouth, he drove back to the Millbrook area in Southampton.”

A witness account read at the inquest said as Mr Idoko approached the junction on Mountbatten Way and Western Esplanade on his way home, he collided with the traffic lights island.

He then sounded his horn as if to get the attention of the witness before beginning to wheel-spin.

The witness account said Mr Idoko then travelled across the junction heading towards the Novotel hotel, travelling over the raised area “as if they were normal speed bumps”.

The car didn’t appear to slow down or change direction, became air-born as it went over the pavement before hitting the sub-station, catching fire instantly.

A police investigation found no evidence of Mr Idoko braking or trying to change direction, and his speed increased to around 49mph.

The witness said Mr Idoko was unconscious after the collision, before regaining consciousness as the car was on fire.

Mr Pegg continued: “It seems to me, on the balance of probability, Stanley involuntarily pressed the accelerator whilst experiencing a seizure of some sort.

“It could be that the stress experienced by Stanley since the summer of 2019 may have resulted in the return of his seizures.

“Stanley died when he suffered a seizure causing him to involuntarily press the accelerator of his motor car until it collided with an electrical installation.

“As a consequence of the collision, Stanley’s car immediately caught fire causing him to suffer extensive burns.”