Crash father may have had heart attack at the wheel

An inquest heard on Thursday how Mike Thompson, 40, from Woodlinken Drive, Verwood, had suddenly veered across the A35 Bere Regis to Dorchester Road on November 17 last year.

His Ford Focus estate crashed into an oncoming Mercedes box van being driven by Andrew Willcocks.

Mr Thompson died instantly, Erin died a short time later at Dorset County Hospital and her four-year-old brother Jack escaped injury.

Both children lived with their mother Jilly Thompson in Devon.

The Bournemouth hearing was told that Erin could have survived if her car seat had been correctly fitted.

She was still strapped in when she was found 10 yards from the wreckage of her father's car.

Consultant pathologist Dr Kate Boyd said she had found evidence that Mr Thompson was suffering from heart disease. She suggested that medication for a cold could have made him drowsy.

Mr Willcocks recalled seeing the Ford Focus veering towards him.

He said: "It drove straight towards me - I couldn't get out of the way."

Brenda Bateman comforted Jack at the crash scene.

"He said the car had exploded and Erin had shot out.

"He had lost her and was very worried about his sister," she said.

"While we were talking he said that his daddy's head had gone forward and he had closed his eyes like he was frightened."

Accident investigator PC Christina Wales said: "Either Mr Thompson fell asleep, was taken ill at the wheel or distracted by something.

"No defects were found in either vehicle.

"Erin's seat was the correct type but incorrectly secured.

"When the vehicle spun round, the forces involved caused the seat to be ripped out of its base."

East Dorset deputy coroner Jonathan Morrissey said Erin may have survived if her seat had been correctly fitted.

He recorded an accidental death verdict.

Mr Morrissey concluded that Mr Thompson had died from injuries "highly likely to have been caused by a medical difficulty which caused him to drift across the road".