Inquests opened into deaths of three family members hit by car in South Cumbria

Three members of the same family died in a crash on Father's Day. Credit: Family photo / PA

Inquests into the deaths of a South Cumbria dad and two children who were tragically all hit by a car during a Father’s Day walk have been opened and adjourned.

Joshua James Flynn, 47, along with his son Coby-Jay, 15, and 12-year-old daughter Skylar, died along with their beloved Yorkshire terrier, Troy, while walking along Abbey Road, Dalton-in-Furness at around 2-30pm on Sunday, 21 June.

At Cockermouth this morning, Cumbria area coroner Kirsty Gomersal said she had the “sad task” of opening the inquests, separately, into the deaths of Mr Flynn and his two children, all of Rochester Place, Barrow-in-Furness.

A Home Office post mortem had been carried out on each family member, and concluded that Barrow-born Mr Flynn, a bricklayer by occupation who was married to Emma, died from multiple injuries; Coby-Jay from severe blunt force head injury; and his sister from a severe cervical spine injury.

Identification of all three had been officially provided by a female police constable who was supplied with photographs of each by Mrs Flynn, the inquest opening was told.

Opening Coby-Jay’s inquest, the coroner said: “The circumstances are that he was walking with his father and sister on the A590 in Dalton-in-Furness when the family and the dog were hit by a car.”

Each family member had been pronounced dead by a paramedic.

“The CPS have confirmed that charges of death by dangerous driving have been brought, and have requested an adjournment of my investigation,” said Ms Gomersal.

As a result, the coroner said she was formally suspending her investigation and the respective inquests, a provisional date having previously been fixed for November.

Flowers at the scene of a crash in Dalton-in-Furness. Credit: PA

In a statement, the Flynn family said of the tragedy: “From the minute we received this terrible news our whole world has been turned upside down and no words can describe how devastated we are feeling.

“We are utterly heartbroken and upset by the loss of Joshua, Coby-Jay and Skylar.

“We would like to thank everyone for their kind messages of support, the cards and donations received.”

*A 47-year-old man David Logan, faces three counts alleging that he caused death by dangerous driving. Logan, from Broughton Road, Dalton-in-Furness, is due to make an appearance before a judge at Preston Crown Court later this month.