A DRIVER has appeared in court following an incident where a 19-year-old boy from Tilehurst died after a crash.
Sheldon Lewcock was riding an electric bike when he was involved in a collision in Pierces Hill on August 4 last year. He passed away five days later.
Ryan Willicombe, from Newbury, appeared at Reading Magistrates Court today (May 3) charged with driving a vehicle involved in a road accident and failing to report that accident as well as one count of driving without third-party insurance.
READ MORE: Criminal proceedings 'extremely unlikely' for death of teen in Tilehurst crash
The 18-year-old has been charged with driving a Vauxhall Vivaro Van on August 4, 2022 on Pierce’s Hill when ‘an accident occurred whereby personal injury was caused to another person and damage was caused to another vehicle’.
It is alleged that Willcombe ‘failed to stop and on being required by a person having reasonable grounds for so requiring failed to give your name and address and the name and address of the owner and the identification marks of the vehicle’.
By doing so, Willicombe is charged with failing to ‘report the accident at a police station or to a constable as soon as was reasonably practicable and in any case within twenty-four hours of the occurrence of the accident’.
READ MORE: Sheldon Lewcock investigation: Police confirm no updates
His case has been adjourned until June 14 at the same court.
In March this year, a pre-inquest review was opened into the death of Mr Lewcock at Berkshire Coroner’s Court.
Senior coroner Heidi Connor told the family that it is ‘extremely likely’ the case will be referred back to the coroner’s court as opposed to the Crown Court for criminal proceedings.
She said: “The police investigation report which is due to come out soon looks at whether the case should be criminal or going to an inquest and it’s extremely likely it’s going to come to me and not the criminal review.
READ MORE: What we know so far as jury retires in Reading manslaughter trial
“It’s extremely likely that it will come to me and the police will explain that decision.”
A full inquest has been scheduled for October 5 this year.
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