Medics called to Nottingham Panthers star's injury found ‘chaotic scene’, hearing in Sheffield told

Paramedics who responded to the fatal neck injury suffered by ice hockey professional Adam Johnson during a league match said they found a “chaotic scene”, a coroner has said.

Mr Johnson was playing for Nottingham Panthers against Sheffield Steelers in an Elite League fixture when he was hit in the neck by Steelers player Matthew Petgrave’s skate.

The 29-year-old American died in hospital following the incident at Sheffield Arena in October 2023.

At a pre-inquest review in Sheffield on Monday, the city’s senior coroner, Tanyka Rawden, said that she had seen statements from Yorkshire Ambulance Service paramedics and added: “Their evidence suggests they came across quite a chaotic scene.”

She told the hearing she had “a lot of questions about how Yorkshire Ambulance Service (YAS) accessed the ice”.

She said there is evidence from one paramedic that they had to climb over the barriers “because nobody could show them onto the ice”.

Mrs Rawden said she also had questions about the availability of blood to paramedics attending the incident.

Mr Johnson’s mother, Sue Johnson, and his fiancee, Ryan Wolfe, were among family members who joined the hearing on a video link from the United States.

The coroner told them: “I’m sorry that we are meeting in these circumstances.”

She added: “I cannot imagine what life been like for all of you since Adam died.”

And she said: “It must have been horrific for all of you.”

Last year, the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) decided it would not bring criminal charges against Mr Petgrave, who is Canadian.

On Monday his barrister, Michael Hayton KC, told the hearing his client is currently in Canada.

The coroner said she is currently planning to call Mr Petgrave and nine other players from the match to give evidence, but this is under review.

She was told that none of these players are currently in the UK.

Mrs Rawden decided that the inquest will be heard in front of a jury and said “there is a lot CCTV” in this case.

She said: “Unfortunately – and I say that because it will be distressing for them – I think the jury is going to have to see some of the CCTV.”

But Mrs Rawden said it is unlikely that the inquest into Mr Johnson’s death will take place this year.

She said she is aware there is pressure to hold it earlier but she pointed out that her investigation had to be paused until the police inquiry was concluded last year.

Mrs Rawden said: “I’m not going to rush this.

“I have to conduct a fair and fearless investigation even if it takes time.”

But she said: “I understand how difficult this is for Adam’s family.

“He died in October 2023 and we are now in April 2026.

“I cannot imagine what it’s been like for them between these two dates.”

She said the inquest is currently expected to take between four and six weeks.

The coroner said she would decide at a later date on whether the inquest needs to be moved from Sheffield and, also, whether the jury would benefit from a visit to the arena.

Mrs Rawden decided that the scope of the inquest would focus on the cause of the injury, the medical provision at the arena, and the “timeliness and appropriateness” of the medical care provided to Mr Johnson.

Mr Johnson’s death shocked the ice hockey world after being witnessed by thousands of fans at the arena in Sheffield.

In January 2024 it emerged that Mrs Rawden had issued a Prevention of Future Deaths Report to Ice Hockey UK and the English Ice Hockey Association (EIHA) about the use of neck guards in the sport.

In the report, the coroner said she was “sufficiently concerned that deaths may occur in the future if neck guards or protectors are not worn”, with the bodies given 56 days to say what action had been taken – or why action had not been taken.

Neck guards have been mandatory in the Elite League (EIHL), in which the Nottingham Panthers and Sheffield Steelers compete, since January 1 2024.

This followed the International Ice Hockey Federation’s decision in December 2023 to mandate the use of neck laceration protectors for its competitions.

A provisional date for another pre-inquest review was set for October 29.