American woman struck by car and killed on Manchester street was looking the wrong way, inquest hears
Two vehicles were involved in the fatal collision
An American woman who was struck by a car and killed in the UK was looking the wrong way when she crossed the street, an inquest has been told.
Selena Meyers, 23, was visiting her boyfriend in Eccles, Manchester, in January 2021 when she was struck twice.
A Skoda driver told an inquest that Ms Meyers walked into the road, some 3.7 miles from the centre of Manchester, the Manchester Evening News reported.
Ms Meyers was flipped into the air, the inquest heard, before being hit by another vehicle coming in the opposite direction.
The accident took place not far from a junction, and weather conditions that evening were described as “misty”, with poor visibility. The road was lit on one side, according to the report.
The driver of a second car coming in the opposite direction, a Renault Clio, said Ms Meyers was in dark clothing crossing and crossed at an angle.
After reaching the middle of the road, she said Ms Meyers was looking to her right, instead of left, before she was hit.
“She seemed to be looking the wrong way,” said the Clio driver during the inquest. “This made sense when I found out she was American. I know this because I’ve done it myself when I’ve been abroad - looking in the wrong direction for traffic”.
Ms Meyers, of Cookeville, Tennessee, met her British boyfriend, Stephen Barclay, online in 2016 before later meeting in person, and spending time together in both the US and UK.
She was staying in Manchester when she become stranded in the UK because of Covid restrictions, said Mr Barclay during the inquest. The pair also reportedly found trouble with finding accommodation and were homeless for a time, but were later placed in accomodation.
Her family said in an earlier statement released by Greater Manchester Police: “She was an artist with an empathetic and a kind soul, always creating, singing, painting and a writer of books and poetry.”
“She always did charity work and was a loyal friend to Elizabeth Grogan - they were the best of friends through thick and thin all the years of her life.”
“So she takes our moon and stars from us as she goes. RIP my entire night sky - my first baby girl.”
Her death has been recorded as the result of a traffic collision, reports said.