Young woman killed after being hit by two taxis - inquest hears

An inquest was unable to establish why Megan Hoskins, of Worsley Hall, was motionless on the road before she was killed.

As a result, assistant coroner Rachel Griffin recorded an open verdict, saying: “I cannot conclude if Megan had collapsed or lay there by choice.”

Her boyfriend, Mark Hughes, said that shortly after midnight, on Sunday July 20 last year, the couple had been drinking and were walking home from Newtown Working Men’s Club.

They were arguing following an incident at the club but Mr Hughes said they were back on good terms.

As they were on Ormskirk Road, he crossed over, expecting Megan to be by his side.

He turned around to see the 20-year-old, who had taken cocaine earlier in the evening, lying across the road. But he said he didn’t know how she got there and didn’t hear her fall.

Just minutes before, a witness, Amy Howarth, had seen Megan walk in the middle of the road.

She said: “I thought she was deliberately standing in the way of cars.”

The inquest heard that shortly afterwards, a black Hackney taxi cab was travelling in the same direction, but did not see Megan lying in the road.

Once he saw Megan, he slammed on his brakes but could not prevent his vehicle hitting her.

Another taxi that was following behind also slammed on his brakes, again in vain, and trapping Megan under the wheel of his Skoda.

Fire crews dashed to the scene and released her and she suffered a cardiac arrest. Despite several attempts to revive her, she died at Wigan Infirmary less than two hours later.

A post-mortem revealed she had died of multiple injuries. She also had traces of alcohol and cocaine in her blood.

A police investigation concluded that both drivers did all they could to avoid Megan, stating that visibility was poor due to the shadow of the trees and the fact Megan was wearing dark clothing.

Her boyfriend was questioned by police on suspicion of assault, but was released without charge.