Coroner Records Misadventure in Deaths of Two Teens Struck by Train
Inquest details the final moments of Joshua Myers and Jordan Everett as a desperate attempt to save a friend ended in a high-speed collision.
Image: Matt Weston / AI
Sarah Connor
A coroner has ruled the deaths of two 16-year-old boys struck by a train near Poynton station as misadventure, highlighting a tragic rescue attempt that ended in double fatality.
Myers had consumed vodka and remained on bail regarding a sexual assault allegation at the time of the collision. The coroner confirmed the alcohol triggered impulsive behavior on the tracks.
Jordan Everett, 16, entered the tracks in a physical attempt to haul his friend from the path of the approaching engine. One witness described the teenager attempting to rugby tackle Myers off the line as the train reached them.
The least that can be done for Jordan now is to give him the recognition for what he was trying to do.
The rescue attempt failed when the train struck both teenagers, resulting in immediate fatalities. Nicola Everett, Jordan’s mother, stated her son died while trying to protect his friend.
"The least that can be done for Jordan now is to give him the recognition for what he was trying to do," Nicola Everett said. She identified his actions as a direct effort to prevent the collision.
Friends of Myers noted he had mentioned suicide in the past but did not believe he would fulfill the threat that night. The coroner recorded that he was shouting his intentions immediately before the impact.
The family of Joshua Myers contested the classification of his actions as a planned suicide. Jenny Myers, his mother, stated her son did not want to die and would have been terrified in his final moments.
His death was not something that he wanted or planned. He was an individual who had been failed by every professional service he encountered.
"His death was not something that he wanted or planned," Jenny Myers told the court. She described her son as an individual who had been failed by every professional service he encountered.
The history of the case reveals a series of interactions between Myers and professional services prior to the incident. The economic and social pressure of pending legal allegations contributed to his heightened stress levels.
The physical mechanics of the event involved a high-speed impact that left no margin for error during the rescue attempt. The landscape of railway safety was bypassed the moment Myers climbed the perimeter fencing.
Stakeholders in the local community have focused on the recognition of Jordan’s bravery. His mother continues to advocate for his actions to be formally acknowledged by authorities for his selfless intervention.
The coroner recorded a verdict of misadventure, reflecting a death resulting from a deliberate act that took an unexpected turn. This distinction separates the event from a suicide ruling, focusing on the impulsive nature of the acts.
Legal proceedings concluded with the confirmation of the cause of death for both boys. The court found no evidence of premeditated intent to end life despite the verbal statements made on the tracks.
The impact of the tragedy continues to resonate through Cheshire as the community grapples with the loss of two young lives. The final ruling provides legal closure to the sequence of events that began at the station fence.
The court's focus remained on the seconds before the train reached the boys' position. Evidence showed Jordan's intervention occurred in the final moments of the encounter.
The ruling of misadventure stands as the final word on the mechanics of the tragedy. It acknowledges the fatal intersection of impulsive action and a desperate rescue attempt.