A motorcycle rider died after a “head-on collision” with a Love Island star’s car, an inquest has heard. Thomas Griggs, 28, is said to have suffered multiple injuries and blunt force trauma in the crash involving a Mercedes used by 26-year-old Kem Cetinay, the 2017 winner of the reality TV show.
The inquest into his death was opened by senior coroner Graeme Irvine at East London Coroner’s Court on Friday. Mr Irvine said the court had not been given details of the driver of the other vehicle and that a suspect had been identified in the police investigation into the incident.
The crash is said to have taken place at 11.27am on August 4 and Mr Griggs died at 12.04pm the same day, the court heard. A post-mortem examination found the cause of death to be multiple injuries and blunt force trauma, the coroner said.
Mr Irvine told the hearing: “This is considering an investigation into the death of Thomas Griggs, a man of 28, who died on 4 August 2022 at a location described as outside Ivy Lodge Farm in Shepherds Hill in Romford. “The recorded time of death offered to the court is four minutes past 12 noon.
“This is a referral that was made to the court by the Metropolitan Police Service and relates to circumstances of a road traffic collision that is said to have taken place as 11.27am on the same day as Mr Griggs’ death.”
The road was a “semi-residential street involving one lane travelling in each direction of the carriageway” with a 30mph speed limit, the court heard. Mr Irvine went on: “It is said the motor vehicle, that was a car, was travelling westbound and the motorcycle was travelling eastbound.
“It is said this was a head-on collision between the two vehicles. The matter is still subject to a Metropolitan Police investigation.”
The coroner added: “It would appear a suspect has been identified by police in relation to this investigation and it appears to me that that person should be listed as an interested person in this inquest.”
Mr Cetinay was unharmed and was assisting police as a witness in the aftermath, his agent said after the crash. A statement from the Met after the collision said the driver of the car stopped at the scene and is currently assisting police with their inquiries. He was not arrested.
The inquest was adjourned to January 10 2023 at the same location.
