Tyrone man killed in A5 crash had taken cocaine, inquest told

A CORONER at the inquest into the death of Caolan Devlin on the A5 just over a year ago has found the 30-year-old suffered a cardiac incident, caused by the ‘excessive’ use of cocaine, moments before a head-on collision with a heavy goods vehicle.

Joe McCrisken delivered his findings at the inquest which took place today in the Coroner’s Court sitting at Omagh courthouse.

Mr Devlin, a human resources administrator with Terex, lived at Coole Road, Dungannon but was originally from Coalisland.

He was travelling along the Curr Road between Omagh and Ballygawley on the evening of March 5, 2024 when the collision occurred.

His brother, Niall, is a member of the Tyrone senior football team and has taken part in videos calling for the A5 road to be upgraded.

At the inquest, the coroner referenced the controversial nature of the A5.

However, he said that he could find no defect with the road or the heavy goods vehicle which caused or contributed to the death.

“The cause of Mr Devlin’s death was not the road,” the coroner added.

Mr McCrisken said cocaine is a ‘very highly dangerous’ drug, and that the death rate from it has risen by 1,000% during the past 10 years.

“I am satisfied that chronic cocaine usage was the cause of Mr Devlin’s myocardial cirrhosis,” he added.

“Cocaine is a very highly dangerous drug which is very widely abuses. It is a very unpredictable and dangerous drug and the cocaine death rate in Northern Ireland has risen by something like 1,000% in the past 10 years.

“I am satisfied that while behind the wheel of his BMW vehicle Mr Devlin suffered some sort of cardiac arrhythmia caused I am satisfied by excessive use of cocaine.”

State Pathologist, Dr Lyness, had earlier told the inquest that the 30-year-old hurler who played for both his club, Naomh Colum Cille, and Tyrone, suffered multiple injuries as a result of the collision.

Dashcam footage of the collision was shown at the inquest, although Mr Devlin’s parents, Gerard and Margaret, who were in attendance, left the courtroom during its duration.

Dr Lyness added that the evidence of cocaine during the post-mortem examination indicated the recent use of the drug. He estimated this to be between four and 12 hours prior to the collision.

Witness statements from people who were travelling close to the scene of the collision at the time and were the first to contact emergencies services were read out.

The coroner thanked them and those members of the PSNI, Northern Ireland Fire Service and the Northern Ireland Ambulance Service for their work. He also acknowledged the work of the Collisions Investigations Unit.