The Voice of Spalding and South Holland
A Holbeach man died after his car crashed on the outskirts of the town for an unknown reason, an inquest has heard.
Denis Charlton’s Kia Picanto drifted across the opposite carriageway as he approached the A151/B1515 roundabout in Spalding Road.
It collided with a speed camera sign before coming to rest in a dyke. Mr Charlton (81) was treated by paramedics before being taken to Pilgrim Hospital, Boston.
He was transferred to Queen’s Medical Centre in Nottingham where he died on October 17, 2020 – four days after the collision.
The inquest in Lincoln heard written evidence from Kirsty Gregory, who had followed Mr Charlton from the McDonald’s roundabout in Spalding.
She said: “Throughout the journey, the car occasionally drifted over the white line but corrected itself.
“As we left Whaplode, the driver veered over the white lane more often but again corrected himself.”
She said as they approached the roundabout the driver didn’t turn, which took him on the other side of the road, and she sounded her horn to try and get his attention.
The car mounted the kerb, hit the sign and stopped in the dyke.
Other witnesses reported seeing the same action by Mr Charlton’s car.
No defects were found with the vehicle which might have contributed to the incident and a collision
investigator concluded that there had been “little or no braking”.
The inquest heard that fatigue or falling asleep at the wheel could not be discounted, but it was more likely that Mr Charlton’s health played a part.
The cause of death was cardio respiratory failure due to the combined effects of polytrauma, ischemic heart disease and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.
Giving a narrative conclusion, Lincolnshire assistant coroner Marianne Johnson said: “It’s not entirely clear why Mr Charlton drove his car as he did. He may well have had a medical episode.”
