Furze Platt crash driver 'lost control' after overtaking, inquest hears

A young motorist died after losing control of his car and hitting a mobile phone mast following an overtaking manoeuvre, an inquest heard today.

Stephen Dawson, of Mendip Way in High Wycombe, suffered multiple injuries when his grey Skoda Octavia swerved near the Cranbrook Drive junction of Furze Platt Road, Maidenhead, and hit the mast shortly before 7am on August 9.

The inquest, at Windsor Guildhall, heard the 27-year-old had lost control heading towards Maidenhead after he pulled back onto his side of the road after overtaking a Ford Transit van driven by John Cronin.

In a statement, Mr Cronin said the car had swerved 'violently' back in front of him and, speaking at the inquest, he estimated the car was travelling at about 50mph in a 30mph zone.

He said the car swerved to the right and to the left before heading onto the nearside verge and hitting the mast on the driver's side and spinning 180 degrees, also hitting a nearby junction box.

Firefighters arrived to cut Mr Dawson out of the car and he was rushed to Wexham Park Hospital, but he was pronounced dead at 8.44am after undergoing CPR for cardiac arrest.

The inquest heard collision investigators found no evidence to suggest he was wearing his seatbelt and that the car was doing at least 43mph when it left the road.

In a statement, witness Alan Wheeler said he was driving behind Mr Dawson and described the overtaking manoeuvre as not being 'natural'.

Another witness, Ian Poulter, who was driving a blue van in the opposite direction when Mr Dawson pulled out, said he didn't need to brake, but added: "I came off the throttle and I recall wagging my finger at the Skoda."

A nearby pothole and the condition of the car were ruled out as factors in the crash, and Berkshire coroner Peter Bedford recorded a verdict of road traffic collision.