limit of alcohol, a coroner last week ruled the man died by misadventure.

Coroner Edward King delivered his decision after hearing that Rudolph Gerald (Rudy) Parris died when his blue Hyundai Excel crashed into a tree stump on Barker's Hill, Devonshire around 1.30 a.m. on April 2 last year.

Mr. Parris, 33, of Euclid Avenue, Pembroke, was the third of 18 fatalities last year.

In his summation, Mr. King explained there was a legal difference in death by misadventure and death by accident, which he said came from unavoidable circumstances.

"I'm not saying that he was drunk and he hit the tree,'' Mr. King said. "It may very well have been that it may have been something else. We don't know what caused him to hit the tree and die.'' He added: "We just can't say what caused it. The inference to be drawn is that the deceased's impairment was a contributory factor in the collision.'' "To the family I extend my sincerest condolences,'' Mr. King concluded.

Mr. King heard Mr. Parris had gone to a party at the Mid-Ocean Golf Club on April 1, and the autopsy revealed he had 218 milligrams of alcohol in 100 millilitres of blood.

Mr. King added: "Such figures indicate that at the time of the event he was driving with more than the legal limit of alcohol in his blood.'' The legal limit is 80 milligrams of alcohol in 100 millilitres of blood.