A grieving man who drank heavily to cope with the death of his father was four-and-a-half times over the limit when he crossed on to the wrong carriageway and was killed in a crash, a coroner heard.

Motorcyclist Steffen Sergent, aged 46, swerved into oncoming traffic after a heavy drinking session the night before.

The coroner heard that Mr Sergent had been unable to move on after his father's death in December 2021.

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Oxfordshire Coroner Darren Salter ruled the cause of death as severe traumatic brain injury after the crash which happened at around 1.20pm on June 13, 2023.

Mr Sergent's sister-in-law, Lesley Sergent, gave the inquest a written statement which was read out by Mr Salter.

She said: "He had been in and out of prison for quite some years.

"He had mental health intervention whilst in prison. He did not like to take his medications as they made him feel funny. Back then, he was just seen as a troubled kid.

"He never got over his dad's death but he was scared to ask for help."

Ms Sergent described how her brother-in-law had struggled in the aftermath of his father's death in December 2021 and had used alcohol as a coping mechanism.

He had been riding his motorcycle on the A40 towards Tiddington on June 13, 2021 and was travelling home from work as he was not feeling well.

He was seen by witnesses swerving into the central reservation.

The coroner heard that Mr Sergent was four-and-a-half times over the drink drive limit when he lost control and crashed.

He had swerved into the opposite carriageway, crashing into a silver Ford C-MAX and was sent flying over the bonnet.

Mr Sergent was only in the opposite lane for 1.2 seconds before the impact.

Mr Salter, presiding at Oxford Coroner's Court on Wednesday (December 13), praised the Ford driver's quick reaction.

He said: "It was an accidental collision. She acted very promptly in that very, very short period of a second or so."

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Mr Sergent, of High Street, Cuddesdon, died on June 15 at the John Radcliffe Hospital.

In his conclusion, Mr Salter said: "At approximately 1.20pm on June 13, 2023, Steffen Sergent was riding on his motorcycle on A40 near Tiddington whilst heavy intoxicated by alcohol.

"He crossed on to the wrong carriageway and collided with an oncoming car and sustained multiple injuries."

Colette Bryan, Mr Sergent's sister, spoke of her brother's struggles over his father's death.

"He had a very difficult life. It was absolutely compounded by the effect of the death of his father. 

"He never ever got over that."

Conclusion: Road traffic accident.