Mystery surrounds crash which killed great-grandmother (From Daily Echo)

Mystery surrounds crash which killed great-grandmother

12:51pm Thursday 31st January 2013 in News By Ed Stilliard, Senior Reporter

Mystery still surrounds why a motorist veered into the path of an oncoming car in a Hampshire road killing a great-grandmother.

Despite a six-month investigation into Joyce Frigot's death a Hampshire coroner was unable to ascertain how Nigel Bath-Smith lost control of his car in the heart of the New Forest.

The 61 -year old great-grandmother from Christchurch was travelling towards Southampton on the A35 when Bath-Smith's Vauxhall Insignia crossed into her lane and ploughed into her red Vauxhall Astra killing her instantly.

Mrs Frigot was driving the car with her daughter as a passenger when the crash occurred last June.

Southampton Coroners Court heard that there was no reason why Bath-Smith - who pleaded guilty to causing death by careless driving at Southampton magistrates courts last year - had lost control.

Sergeant Andrew Lynch of Eastleigh police station interviewed Bath-Smith from Thornbury Avenue, Blackfied in Southampton, after the incident.

"He didn't remember the accident at all. He said he wasn't distracted in the car."

Sgt Lynch added that examination of Bath-Smith's mobile phone showed he was not using it at the time or prior to the crash.

PC Andrew McDonald said there were no other reasons why Bath-Smith lost control.

"There's effectively no explanation as to how he lost control," said coroner Keith Wiseman.

"Although this was very clearly an accidental death someone in this case was clearly at fault," he added.

He recorded a narrative verdict adding that it "would be more reflective than just a simple verdict of "accidental death".

"Joyce Frigot died when the car she was driving was struck by a car on the wrong side of a single carriageway road upon which she driving entirely appropriately," he said.

Speaking afterward, her family thanked all those who tried to help at the scene but repeated their frustration about Bart-Smith's sentence.

The 53-year-old received a three-year ban, a two-month curfew a community order and a fine.

Joyce's husband Dennis said: "He goes home to a wife, I go home to an empty bed."