Stanley Eric Turner died on August 28, 2010, in Luss St, Company Bay, Dunedin, after being crushed between two Nissan 380 trucks belonging to Steven Clearwater, of Portobello.
Mr Clearwater is owner, operator, and company director of Steve Clearwater Contracting Ltd.
The trucks were both parked, and the inquest sought to learn what happened to the handbrake of the truck which moved, shortly after its driver stepped out of it.
Otago Southland coroner David Crerar adjourned the hearing, and said further evidence would be submitted in writing, within three weeks, from Nissan Diesel importer UD Truck Distributors, and Wellington lawyer Wendy Aldred, for Mr Turner's family. Mr Crerar would then issue a written finding.
Evidence yesterday dealt with why and how the truck's handbrake released; whether maintenance was adequate; how previous incidents involving the truck's handbrake were dealt with; a service bulletin issued by Nissan Diesel in 2004, following unsubstantiated reports of handbrake failures.
Disagreement over technical issues prompted sometimes terse exchanges between the parties - Mr Clearwater, police witnesses, and lawyers representing Mr Turner's family, and UD Truck Distributors.
Mr Clearwater, in evidence, said he had been contracted to clear a section. The morning of August 28, a Saturday, he had had a brief, polite conversation with Mr Turner, who, upon leaving the work site, was crushed between the trucks, which had been driven there by Mr Clearwater's employees.
"Out of the corner of my eye, I saw the the two trucks collide with Mr Turner between them."
It was immediately obvious upon moving the vehicles that Mr Turner's injuries were fatal, Mr Clearwater said.
Near the conclusion of the inquest, Anne Turner held up a photo of her late husband, and said the inquest had not been what she expected.
"It has become... an inquest about dirt and dust and vehicle maintenance, not about the fact that this man is dead."
Mr Turner had hardly been mentioned at all during the hearing.
She lost "half my existence" when her husband died.
Her retirement plans, and life plans, had been "destroyed".
The family struggled after losing its "heart and soul": a loving husband and a caring father.
Her faith in New Zealand's legal system had been shaken by issues arising from her husband's death.
In response, Mr Crerar said the inquest must focus on technical aspects to discover exactly what happened, so it could be prevented in future.
