Pregnant wife who found her husband in the road after car crash had to direct ambulance to hospital as he lay dying in the back because the driver didn’t know the way, inquest hears

A pregnant woman whose husband was dying in the back of an ambulance had to refer the driver to hospital because he did not know the way, an inquest has led.

Motorcyclist Aaron Morris, 31, died in hospital after a crash with a car at a junction in Esh Winning, County Durham, on the afternoon of July 1, 2022.

His wife Samantha Morris was 13 weeks pregnant with twins and celebrating her birthday when the accident occurred.

She was on her way to meet him after an overnight stay in the hospital when she found her husband on the street.

Mrs Morris told County Durham and Darlington Coroner’s Court that her husband was conscious and breathing when she arrived at the scene, moments after the collision.

However, in the 54 minutes it took paramedics to arrive, his condition deteriorated.

Samantha Morris was 13 weeks pregnant with twins and celebrating her birthday when the accident occurred

Mrs Morris pictured with her twin boys Aaron-Junior John Robson Morris (left) and Ambrose-Ayren Morris (right)

He died shortly after arriving at North Durham University Hospital. Mrs Morris told the inquest: ‘I was there to hold Aaron’s hand as his heart beat its last beat.’

The inquest heard that several attempts were made that day to call an ambulance by a number of people at the scene, including Ms Morris’ friend, a nurse practitioner.

However, a third-party ambulance company, Ambulanz, arrived almost an hour after the initial call was made.

Mrs Morris said the driver had asked where the nearest trauma center was and was heading to the Royal Victoria Infirmary (RVI) in Newcastle when her husband went into cardiac arrest as a paramedic.

She was then told to refer the driver to the nearest hospital, the inquest heard.

“I was 13 weeks pregnant and my husband was given CPR in the back of the ambulance,” Mrs Morris said.

‘Why do I have to decide which hospital to take my husband to? I have to live with the fact that if I told the RVI he might still be alive.”

She added that the driver “made the right decision to ask” and that she “doesn’t blame him.”

Ms Morris (left) told County Durham and Darlington Coroner’s Court that Mr Morris (right) was conscious and breathing when she arrived at the scene, just moments after the collision

He died shortly after arriving at North Durham University Hospital. Mrs Morris told the inquest: ‘I was there to hold Aaron’s hand as his heart beat its last beat’

It took 54 minutes for paramedics to arrive but his condition deteriorated in that time, the inquest heard

“My fault in that is that the people who manage and train him should have given him the tools to know where the nearest hospital is,” she said.

“He made the right decision that day using what he had, which was me, who lives nearby.”

Morris’s inquest began in May and was later suspended after the coroner identified the Great North Air Ambulance Service (GNAAS) as an interested party.

Two officers from Durham Police who attended the scene of the collision were the first to give evidence today, including Detective Inspector Rebecca Shaw, who told the hearing she was the first officer on the scene.

She was off duty at the time and in the area when she was diverted by the public around the collision.

Officer Shaw told the inquest she stopped her car after seeing a body lying in the road surrounded by a number of people.

Several 999 calls were then made from her mobile, which was then passed to off-duty nurse Helen.