Dylan Price inquest told of teen's hit-and-run injuries as police probe remains open

Dylan Price, 17, from Bishop's Castle died in the early hours of September 19 last year from head injuries sustained when a vehicle drove over him near his home town.

At a hearing in Shrewsbury on Thursday, coroner John Ellery closed the inquest into the teenager's death, but assured his family that the police inquiry will remain open.

The body of the popular teenager was found on the B4385 Brampton Road.

Home Office pathologist Dr Alexander Kolar, who carried out a post mortem on Mr Price, said his injuries were consistent with him having been recumbent (lying down) on the road, not upright, when the collision took place.

Death would have been very quick, Dr Kolar said.

However, Mr Ellery said there was no evidence about why and when he came to be lying in the road.

"I am not going to speculate. Someone or some people know and if more evidence comes to light then it will be investigated by the police," he said.

Forensic evidence showed that Dylan had alcohol and drugs in his body.

The coroner was told Dylan had been to the Bishop's Castle v Knighton rugby match during the day before drinking at a couple of pubs in the town and then going onto two parties.

He left the second party at about 2.30am to 3am.

Milk worker Valerie Knowles told the inquest that she was driving along the road at about 4.10am and said she came around a corner and saw white trainers and a bag in the road.

"I stopped about four metres away and wondered why a bag and trainers were in the road. I sat there for a bit and wondered what to do. I wish I had got out now but it was all a bit spooky. The amount of time I was there, I would have known if there was a body," she said.

It was George Rowson who was driving to a farm to work who came across Dylan's body in the road just after 5am.

"I could see there was something in the road. As I got closer I could see that it was a body," he said.

Mr Rowson rang 999 and started performing CPR on Dylan.

Darren Price, Dylan's father, asked police witnesses at the inquest if they had investigated his son's death as a road traffic collision or as another crime.

The family also asked whether police had looked at why Dylan's belt was not around his waist but lying close to him when his body was found.

Detective Inspector Jo Delahay said the police had always kept an open mind on whether Dylan's death could have been a homicide.

"We made enquiries with everyone and there were no reports of any animosity of fights. Dylan was a social person who got on with everyone. I think if anyone wished ill on him I think it would have come back to us," she said.

DI Delahay also said police had gone to great lengths to try to locate the driver of the vehicle that ran him over.

"We looked at all the CCTV and ANPR cameras that we could and the family have been so cooperative in helping us in media appeals which have been carried on local and national news.

"We are so disappointed that we haven't found the driver and we won't stop. It doesn't end now and if more information comes in we will follow it up."

After the inquest, Dylan's mother, Louise Bristow, said her son had been a wonderful person who hated conflict and had so many friends who had been great support after his death.

"I was so lucky to have had him as a son," she said.