Telegraph Road crash victim ‘had previous accident’

Jul 21 2010 Birkenhead News

THE Heswall man involved in a fatal road traffic collision on Telegraph Road had previously blacked out at the wheel while driving along a motorway.

Paul Smith, 48, lost control of his Ford Mondeo last Tuesday, and passed straight through a red light before hitting two trees, as he travelled in the direction of Thurstaston.

His eight-year-old son was a passenger in the car.

Mr Smith, a former engineer, was taken by ambulance to Arrowe Park Hospital but despite medical staff spending 30 minutes trying to resuscitate him, he did not respond and was pronounced dead.

It is thought he could have had a heart attack or seizure while driving, as no other vehicles were involved.

But at his post-mortem, which took place on Friday, no cause of death was determined and doctors are awaiting results of toxicology and other tests.

The incident occurred at around 8.45am, near the Tesco store.

At Mr Smith’s inquest, which was opened on Friday, it emerged the divorcee had lost control of a car before.

On December 16 2008, he blacked out at the wheel and collided with a motorway’s central reservation.

He was taken to Arrowe Park hospital but suffered no major injuries.

Paul Smith’s inquest has been adjourned pending receipt of toxicology tests.