Royal Navy veteran died after drinking juice accidentally laced with lethal cocaine dose
A DRIVER died after he unknowingly drunk pear juice containing almost 20 times the lethal amount of cocaine, an inquest heard today.
Joromie Lewis, 33, from Gosport, Hampshire, died just hours after he drank the 'Cole Cold Pear D' cordial which he found at his employer's garage in Bitterne, near Southampton.
Mr Lewis took one sip of the drink but immediately spat it out after he thought that it tasted bitter.
He became sick immediately after drinking the contaminated fruit juice, collapsing soon after while shaking, before being admitted to Royal South Hants Hospital.
He was then transferred to Southampton General Hospital, where he died hours later last December.
Mr Lewis, a former Royal Navy worker, was found to have an "overwhelmingly large" amount of cocaine in his system, the inquest in Winchester, Hampshire, heard today.
The inquest revealed that he had ingested 21.3mg of the lethal drug per litre of blood in his body, with pathologist Dr Basil Purdue stating that a lethal dose was considered to be 1.2 grams, and that an addict could tolerate five grams a day.
But Dr Purdue told the jury today that the level of cocaine in Mr Lewis' system could have been higher "because there was a delay at the laboratory".
He then gave the cause of death as cocaine intoxication, before adding: "The amount of cocaine in his bloodstream was overwhelmingly large."
In a statement read to the hearing, chemist Carole Willis said the bottle of 'Cole Cold Pear D' contained a shocking total of 189 grams of cocaine.
Mr Lewis worked as a driver for Kelly's Shipping Ltd - run by Juanette Allen and Chris Kelly - which imported and exported drinks from the Caribbean.
Ms Allen told the inquest today that Mr Lewis was working with their company almost full-time after they met in St Vincent, a volcanic island in the Caribbean, from where the drinks are imported.
She stated that the batch involved in Mr Lewis' death was death was collected from Portsmouth harbour by Mr Lewis, before adding that she had not ordered any 'Cole Cold Pear D'.
She then recalled how Mr Lewis and his friend, Carlos Deabreu arrived at her house at around 6:30pm on December 5.
"One of my friends wanted some of juice and as he lives near her, I asked him to get it," she said.
"He came into the kitchen with a bottle in his hand. When he had a sip, he said it didn't taste right.
"I did not see how much he swallowed. He went to the sink and spat it out and tried to make himself sick."
This was a tragedy in the real sense of the word
At this point, Ms Allen had just assumed that the date on the drink might have expired, while Mr Smith told her to call his partner.
He then told her to get the drink tested before Mr Deabreu drove him to Royal South Hants Hospital.
When quizzed by Jeromie's family solicitor, Fiona Canby, on what was being taken to done to prevent this type of tragedy ever happening again, Ms Allen said: "We have decided not to import drinks for the company or anyone since."
Detective Sergeant Glyn White, from Hampshire Police, who was investigating the death told the jury: "We were told that when Jeromie had arrived at the Royal South Hants Hospital he already appeared to be starting to fit.
"He was not capable of stepping out of the vehicle and collapsed through the doors."
Mr Smith was then taken by ambulance to Southampton General Hospital, where he died around five hours after sipping the deadly drink.
Police investigations discovered that a woman called Samantha McDadi had requested the drinks order - but her mobile number was only in use for a very short time and no arrests were made.
Det. Sgt. White said: "We are not convinced that the person using the name 'Samantha' exists.
"No-one has been prosecuted for importing illegal drugs in relation to this incident."
The jury of six men and six women recorded a verdict of accidental death as a result of cocaine intoxication following the six-hour inquest.
Grahame Short, coroner for Central Hampshire, said: "This was a tragedy in the real sense of the word. This was a man working to support his family consuming what he thought was a soft drink."
Mr Lewis' widow Jayrusha was too upset to speak after the inquest.
She had previously issued a statement which described her husband as a "selfless and devoted family man."
She added: "His exemplary conduct and actions touched the lives and hearts of many."
