The driver of a car involved in a fatal crash near Maidstone was over the drink driving limit.

Johnny Cash, 44, his son Johnboy Cash, 19, Miles Cash, 25, and Jacko Cosgrove, 18, died on October 10 last year after the Toyota Hilux they were travelling in left the road in Headcorn.

Teenager Jerry Cash, 15, was also in the vehicle at the time of the crash and left in a coma for months with serious injuries, before being discharged in January.

The inquest was opened briefly in October where coroner Katrina Hepburn read into evidence how Johnny Cash was at the wheel of the pick-up truck when, for unknown reasons, it had gone onto the verge and crashed into a tree in Lenham Road.

The men had been on their way to watch The Gypsy King Tyson Fury's trilogy fight with American Deontay Wilder.

This morning, the court heard Johnny Cash was almost one and a half times the legal drink drive limit registering at 117mg per 100ml of blood. His urine was 188mg per 100ml.

Forensic toxicologist Nicola Ingram said he would be able to walk around fine, but not legally allowed to drive. She said results showed Johnny Cash was likely drinking in the last couple of hours before the accident.

Johnboy registered 82mg p/100ml for blood sample and 122mg p/100ml for urine. Miles Cash had 167mg p/100ml of blood and 177mg p/100ml in urine. He also had 0.19mg of benzoylecgonine, which is a by-product of cocaine.

Jacko Cosgrove had 149mg p/100ml of blood and 208mg p/100ml of urine. He also had traces of benzoylecgonine in his system.

Pathologist Dr Rouse explained driver Johnny Cash suffered serious multiple injuries to his back, leg, chest, rib and arm injuries.

His cause of death, similar to his son Johnboy, was given as multiple injuries while conducting his investigation.

He added there was “no sign to suggest” there was any injuries from wearing a seatbelt. Although he suggested evidence from detectives will know more about the seatbelt question.

Johnboy, 19, suffered facial, leg and head injuries, including a fractured skull.

Miles Cash, 25, also suffered a fractured skull, as well as facial, arm and leg injuries. His cause of death was multiple injuries.

Jacko Cosgrove, 18, also suffered a fractured skull and died of multiple injuries including facial and spinal injuries.

Dr Rouse explained that Jacko, Miles and Johnboy most likely died “instantaneously” from their injuries, while he believed Johnny died “straight away”, but he couldn't be as certain as the three boys due to the difference in his injuries.

On the arrival of police, two men were found outside the vehicle - one was thought to be Miles.

The Toyota was the last of three vehicles heading from a nearby golf club to a kebab shop to get some food before the Tyson Fury fight.

As it headed down Lenham Road it made its way into a drainage ditch before crashing into an oak tree, rotating 180 degrees into the opposite side of the road.

The court heard how a witness, Claire Edwards, was driving along the road when she saw the crash. After pulling over she rang 999. After that she heard screaming and a group of people gathered around the vehicle.

Police Forensic investigator Simon Materson said there was evidence one of the seatbelts in the rear of the vehicle were used, but that it was “more likely than not” the other seatbelts were not used.

Simon Masterson continued, explaining the car was speeding at 76mph before it hit the first tree, and the accelerator had 100% pressure on it up until 0.5 seconds before the collision.

He added the driver of the vehicle “lost control” while going at 16mph above the speed limit which was 60mph. PC Masterson said the theoretical maximum speed for the road was 103mph.

He said Johnny Cash’s alcohol level “likely impaired his co-ordination”.

There was no evidence of another vehicle or any other sort of hazard affecting the driver’s “gradual swerve” into the ditch or first tree. It hit a second tree seconds after the first collision.

Despite saying weather conditions wouldn’t have had an effect, family questioned the officer about this, claiming when they arrived on the scene the fog was “so foggy you could barely see in front of you”.

Patrick Cash, son of Johnny and brother of Johnboy, told the court he pulled Jacko Cosgrove from the wreckage of the vehicle.

He added how he heard the screaming of distraught family members who had flocked to the scene to try and help.

Coroner Patricia Harding recorded a conclusion of road traffic collision for all four men.

Following the tragic incident hundreds of people from around the country took over Maidstone town centre to attend a mass held at St Francis Church, as well as attending three of the men's funerals at Holy Family Church in Park Wood.

Streets were packed with cars and people as the lives of Johnny Cash and Johnboy Cash, both of Martins Gardens, Lenham Road, Headcorn, and Mr Cosgrove, of Woodland Vale, Shadoxhurst, near Ashford, were celebrated.

A funeral for Miles Cash, of Campion Crescent, Cranbrook, was held in Reading.

At the time of the funerals, one woman, who didn’t want to be named, said: “It shows you how much they were loved, seeing a turn out like this. Johnny was known by everyone. I still can’t believe what’s happened. Those poor men and their families.”

While a man in his 50s, who came down from Liverpool, added: “We came to show our respects as did hundreds of people. It’s a proper goodbye for both of them and it’ll be the same next week. God bless them all.”

Jacko Cosgrove's best-friend Patrick Cash spoke to KentOnline on the day of his funeral and paid tribute to his friend.

He said: "It's been ridiculous. No words can describe it. It's the worst thing I've ever been through.

"He was just a jolly person, hyper, nice person. He never stopped laughing or making jokes. That was just Jacko.

"The first time it sank in was yesterday when I saw the casket. It hit me really, really bad. I didn't really believe it until yesterday.

"I can't describe the pain, knowing you're never going to see him again or get a phone call or speak to him."