A question mark hangs over the death of a cyclist who was found lying face down in a shallow river running through a city.
The body of father-of-two Graham William Toy, 64, who was married to an accountant, was discovered in the river in Truro with his mountain bicycle on top of him.
An inquest heard yesterday that Mr Toy was cycling along the path known locally at "the leats" when he fell off and plunged around five feet into the water below that was around four inches deep.
A post-mortem examination found Mr Toy died from a cerebral contusion and a fractured skull.
Blood tests showed him to have 148mg of alcohol per 100ml in his system – the legal drink limit is 80mg.
Emma Carlyon, coroner for Cornwall, recorded an open verdict after hearing evidence from witnesses an "aggressive drunk" man may have hurled threats at Mr Toy shortly before he died.
The court heard Mr Toy was involved in a car accident in 1992 which killed three of his best friends and he suffered serious head injuries.
In a statement read out to the court the former labourer's brother, Raymond Toy, said he began to drink heavily after the crash.
Mr Toy said: "The accident left him with brain damage.
"Doctors told him if he had one more blow to the head he would not survive it."
On August 19 last year Mr Toy spent five hours drinking in Truro, downing lager and cider, before mounting his bicycle to ride seven miles home to Shortlanesend on the edge of the city.
Student Abbie Chapman said she and a friend saw Mr Toy struggling to ride his bicycle along the leats between 6.30pm and 6.40pm as he was heading away from the city.
She said a man standing outside the nearby Wig and Pen pub began shouting "I'll get you" towards herself and Mr Toy.
Miss Chapman said: "He (the man shouting) didn't look very nice and was shouting at us – I don't know who exactly he was shouting at."
By 8pm Mr Lang's body was found and police who attended the scene said it was still warm although attempts by paramedics to resuscitate him failed. He and his bicycle were facing towards the city centre, the court heard.
Detective Constable Chris Panther said he did not believe Mr Toy was the victim of foul play.
He said: "There was no evidence in my opinion to suggest third party involvement. I believe he fell off the path, hit his head on the wall while under the influence of alcohol."
Before recording an open verdict Dr Carlyon said: "While everything points to an accident we just don't know all the circumstances or if another person was involved."
source: thisiscornwall.co.uk
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