Pensioner is killed in head-on smash

10:23am Sunday 23rd March 2008

Comments (8)   Have your say »

A HEAD-ON collision between two cars on a road near York left one man dead and two people injured.

Police are investigating the crash, which happened just before 4.40pm on Thursday on the A166 at Wetwang, at the junction with the B1248 road towards Malton.

Traffic was disrupted for more than four hours while the road was closed by police.

The collision involved a silver Renault Clio, driven by a 79-year-old man from Surrey, and a silver Peugeot 206, driven by a 75-year-old man from near York.

When the two cars collided, the Clio was heading towards York and the Peugeot was heading in the opposite direction.

A spokesperson for Humberside police said: "The emergency services immediately attended at the scene and an off-duty police officer began to render emergency medical assistance to the driver of the Clio.

"Sadly, a doctor at the scene pronounced the 79-year-old man's life extinct at 5.20pm that afternoon.

"Relatives have been informed and formal identification is due to take place today."

Two ambulance crews, a doctor and a rapid response vehicle were sent to the scene.

A spokesperson for Yorkshire Ambulance Service said: "There were three casualties. Sadly one died, and the other two received minor injuries. Neither was taken to hospital."

The York man who was behind the wheel of the Peugeot suffered minor chest and back injuries, while his passenger, a 71-year-old woman, had minor chest injuries.

It is not the first time there has been a fatal accident on this stretch of the A166. In April 2006, a 70-year-old man died following a two-vehicle collision in Fridaythorpe.

The following month, a 26-year-old woman was killed in a horrific car crash between Garrowby Hill and Fridaythorpe.

Humberside Police are appealing for anyone who witnessed the collision to contact them on 0845 6060222.