A TEENAGER hit by a motorhome vehicle while trying to cross the A303 in the dark had spent the day drinking and socialising, a coroner has been told.

Harry Butler, from Walled Meadow, was pronounced dead at the scene of the collision after being struck on the A303 westbound, near Andover, just before 9pm on Friday, September 16.

After a day of meeting up with various friends and drinking, the 18-year-old, along with a couple of other friends, attempted to cross the dual carriageway to reach friends on the other side.

Pathologist Dr Adnan Al-Badri told the Winchester Coroner’s Court Mr Butler died of multiple injuries after being struck by the motorhome.

The court also heard how Mr Butler’s blood had 162mg of alcohol per 100ml – twice the drink drive limit.

Friend Gabrielle Jacobs was with Mr Butler when they decided to dash across the busy dual carriageway.

Miss Jacobs said she had gone Mr Butler’s house playing where they sat around playing Xbox and, drinking lager and “just chilling”.

When questioned by the court’s senior coroner, Grahame Short, she admitted Mr Butler had been drinking beer and lager throughout the day and had been a regular drinker.

She said a number of friends joined Mr Butler throughout the day until Mr Butler decided to meet up with another group.

Mr Butler and Miss Jacobs, along with 23-year-old Ashley Wells, walked around the back of Asda and through an area which Miss Jacobs didn’t recognise but described it was like a nature reserve.

The trio reached the A303, near the A3057 junction, and said there had been a little discussion on how to get to the other side but Mr Butler had said he knew a quicker way.

The three were just 150 metres from a road bridge and 200 metres from an underpass.

She said Mr Butler suggested crossing the A303, adding: “This is not a good idea, I said. Harry just said it’s fine.”

They successfully crossed the eastbound carriageway and stopped at the central reservation.

The westbound traffic was busier and Miss Jacobs said Mr Butler then told the group that when he shouted to go they “couldn’t look back so I sprinted across the road”.

Behind her she heard a horn beep and then a gunshot-like noise.

She saw Mr Butler and Mr Wells’ bodies across the road and dragged them to the side of the road.

Mr Butler was pronounced dead at the scene and Mr Wells suffered “serious life-changing injuries” and still remains in hospital.

Miss Jacobs, who described Mr Butler as a brother to her, said: “I’ve been thinking about the driver that hit Harry and Ashley.

“It wasn’t their fault.”

Richard Pugh was driving home from holiday with his wife when he hit the two men, after safely overtaking another car.

The court heard how due to lack of road lighting and the trio’s dark clothing, Mr Pugh and the driver of the car behind him did not see the figures.

He added: “I’m sorry it happened. I was in the wrong place at the wrong time.”

After hearing the evidence, senior coroner Grahame Short concluded Mr Butler died of multiple injuries, adding: “It was very clear that it was a very bad idea to cross a road like the A303.

“Gabrielle Jacobs also went to cross the road and I have to say she had great faith in Harry to take his word to cross the road without looking.

“Apart from the death of the teenager involved, this incident has affected the lives of many people.

“Miss Jacobs was very fortunate to have survived and she has been deeply traumatised and Mr Wells has suffered life-changing injuries and he is still in hospital, but all of those consequences follow his decision to cross the road.

“I’m going to record that Harry died due to severe multiple injuries having been struck by a motor vehicle as he ran across the westbound carriageway of the A303 road.

“He died as a result of a road traffic collision, I think it’s the best way to describe it.”