By 
A YOUNG Beragh man, who was killed after being struck by a vehicle of the M1 motorway seven years ago, was ‘punched and then pushed’ on to the road moments before his death, an inquest has been told.
Darryl Thompson was just 22 years old when he was killed on November 10, 2018. An inquest into his death resumed today after being adjourned in April. The coroner’s court is trying to establish the events in the hours and moments leading up to the tragedy.
Kellie Keenan, who was a front seat passenger in the vehicle in which Mr Thompson was travelling home from a ‘drift event’ near Loughgall, was questioned by Michael Forde, a barrister representing Mr Thompson’s mother, Edwina Clarke.
During the exchange, Ms Keenan confirmed there had been a fist-fight between Darryl and the other passenger in the rear of the vehicle, Dominic Daly.
She went on to confirm that both Darryl and Mr Daly then got out of the car and continued their fight on the hard-shoulder.
Mr Forde asked Ms Keenan directly what Mr Daly had done on the hard shoulder, adding that she would have to deal with the consequences whether or not she told the truth.
“He punched him and then pushed him onto the road,” she responded.
She then responded ‘yes’ when asked whether Mr Daly had pushed Darryl Thompson onto the road.
Earlier, Ms Keenan had told the inquest she could not remember if Mr Daly had been out of the car or not.
She added she had heard the impact of the collision which resulted in the death of Darryl.
She had also recalled a conversation with Darryl outside the vehicle on the hard shoulder of the M1.
“We were chatting and I was asking him to get back into the car, but he wouldn’t come back in because Dominic (Daly) was in the car,” she said.
“He was very upset. He said a couple of times that he just wanted to go home. I said to him that we were going home.”
The inquest continues.
