Man, 33, who died after car hit tree on Shropshire/South Staffordshire border is named at inquest

Vikas Panwar, a warehouse worker from Parkfield Road, Wolverhampton, had been driving a Honda Jazz towards Rudge Heath on the A454, near to the Inn at Shipley, when the car left the road and hit a tree, the inquest on Thursday heard.

Sadly 33-year-old Mr Panwar was confirmed dead at the scene at 2.27am on June 30, 2024.

John Ellery, Shropshire's Senior Coroner, was told that a toxicology report after the crash found that Indian-born Mr Panwar had an alcohol reading of 94 in his blood when the legal limit is 80.

Mr Ellery told his widow and brother, who were with a police family liaison officer in court: "It was just a fact that he was over the limit."

But he told the inquest at the Coroner's Court in Shrewsbury that there had been no witnesses who could confirm what had actually happened, and that it was not possible to say what effect the alcohol had on Mr Panwar's actions.

A report by medic Dr Elizabeth Barlow said the alcohol "may have had a detrimental effect on driving ability".

But the direct effect on Mr Panwar was "not known".

Mr Ellery said that in those circumstances they could not say what part the alcohol played.

A police collision report, which involved a reconstruction, concluded that it "can't be established what caused the lack of control".

The coroner concluded that Mr Panwar's death had been due to a road traffic collision.

Mr Ellery added that his conclusion "does not imply any blame".