Boy 'may have tripped' in road death, inquest told
A 12-year-old schoolboy could have tripped and been hit by a truck as he ran across a road with other youngsters, an inquest has been told.
Harrison Palmer, from Camborne, Cornwall, was pronounced dead at the scene after being hit by a van in Pool in March 2023.
The coroner recorded a conclusion of death after a road traffic collision.
Harrison’s mother Natalie Buckland said the death had “hugely impacted the lives of everyone who knew and loved him”.
The inquest heard Harrison could have tripped and been hit as he ran across a road with other youngsters
The hearing in Truro was told the boys had gone into town after school because a football practice had been cancelled.
The boys ran to the central reservation island on the A3047 Agar Road, but Harrison did not stop and continued running and was struck by a truck in the opposite lane.
Driver Kelvin Fulcher was arrested at the scene but no further action was taken against him.
He was recorded as driving at 26mph (42 km/h) along the 30mph (48 km/h) road, the inquest heard.
Mr Fulcher said he was aware of four children crossing to the central reservation and that he “heard a thud” when he drove past and stopped.
“It was not a very nice feeling – I don’t know if he had fallen or tripped. I presume he must have tripped,” he said.
Mr Fulcher gave negative results to drink and drugs tests, and had not been using his mobile phone at the time of the collision.
The inquest heard his truck had some minor defects, but they did not cause or contribute to the accident.
Witnesses said they believed the boys had been sprinting at the time.
Senior Cornwall Coroner Andrew Cox said Harrison did not stop on the traffic island and continued without looking, or because he was going too quickly to stop half-way across the road.
‘Lost without him’
Ms Buckland said Harrison was “always so cautious crossing roads, stopping and checking multiple times, not crossing if a vehicle was in sight even in the distance”.
She said: “I guess that makes it harder to comprehend.
“Every aspect of our lives have been impacted and upturned. our hearts will always be broken and we are all so very lost without him.”
Harrison’s family said his death had affected his school, his friends, the truck driver, the emergency services and those who helped at the scene.
His family praised the “incredible work that our emergency services do”.
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