Grandfather who died in crash near Oswestry 'most likely' lost control of car due to medical condition, inquest hears

Ian Paul Harris, aged 59, crashed his Audi car into an HGV on the A483 near the Sweeney Hotel, Oswestry shortly before 9am on August 23 last year.

His granddaughter survived the collision and “is doing well, but there’s a long way to go", according to the girl's mother, who attended Tuesday's inquest at Shropshire Coroner’s Court.

John Ellery, senior coroner for Shropshire, Telford and Wrekin, said that he would write a “regulation 28 report” to prevent future deaths to the DVLA, asking the motoring authority to consider how medical conditions are reported.

The hearing at Shropshire Coroner’s Court at the Guildhall in Shrewsbury was told that police and paramedics were called to the scene of the crash but despite the best efforts of emergency workers, Mr Harris, who was born in Wrexham and lived in West Felton, could not be saved and was pronounced dead at the scene.

An “extensive” police investigation was carried out and it was discovered that Mr Harris drifted across the road into the path of the oncoming HGV, which “could do nothing to avoid the collision”.

A collision investigator said that Mr Harris was either distracted or, "more likely", lost control of the vehicle due to a medical condition.

The hearing was told that Mr Harris, who was a lorry driver himself, should not have been driving due to his blackouts, and told his GP at Knockin Medical Centre that he had reported his condition to the DVLA.

He had also reapplied for his HGV licence four days before the crash, including in his application a medical report from a different GP which did not disclose that he suffered from blackouts.

Mr Ellery said there was “no obligation” on drivers to use a report from their own GP.

“That seems to me to be a matter which the DVLA should review,” he said. “There is potential for a flaw in the system.

“I’m going to write to the DVLA for them to consider reviewing the position.”

He recorded a conclusion that Mr Harris’ death was as a result of a road traffic collision.

In the wake of the crash, Mr Harris' son Lee paid tribute on behalf of his family.

He said: “It’s clear from the hundreds of messages and calls that we’ve all already received how much everyone loved and respected our dad, and we ask that you extend that respect to us as a family while we try and make sense of what’s just happened."

He added: “We really appreciate the messages and support from everyone, it’s testament to how much of an amazing man our dad was. But right now we just need to be with each other.

“We love you dad, always and forever.”