A DRIVER died in a police chase when he crashed into a tree at more than 60mph, an inquest heard.
The Vauxhall Corsa that Dale Wilson, of Aspley, was driving careered off the road in Moor Lane, in Calverton, on November 14 last year.
The 26-year-old died on the way to hospital.
In the moments leading up to his death, he was being pursued by three police cars, because the stolen car he was driving was of a similar description to one that had been involved in a burglary that same night.
Police initially followed Mr Wilson without switching on their blue lights, but when he rapidly accelerated – breaking the speed limit along Main Street, Calverton – police began to chase with lights flashing.
An inquest yesterday into the death of the father-of-two heard that the car hit the tree while travelling faster than 60mph. It was then struck by one of the police vehicles.
The court heard that independent investigations concluded that this second collision happened at a speed of between five and 10mph.
One of the officers following Mr Wilson was PC Ian Stirk.
Giving evidence, he said he had followed the Corsa down Oxton Street and then into Main Street, Calverton, where Mr Wilson suddenly accelerated. He said: "If you can imagine going along at 50, the best way I can describe it is the driver rammed his foot down on the accelerator – at which point I shouted 'we've got a failure to stop' and illuminated my lights and siren."
After the crash, officers had to drag Mr Wilson from the car because the engine had caught fire. A postmortem examination concluded that he died of multiple injuries.
Notts Coroner Mairin Casey recorded a verdict of accidental death.
She said: "It was an accident, clearly, and because of the manner he was driving in he put himself at risk.
"I hope the family can take some solace from the fact that Dale did not suffer; he would have been knocked unconscious from his injuries very quickly."
Toxicology tests on Mr Wilson's blood found that he had not been drinking or taking drugs in the build-up to the crash.
After the inquest, members of his family said they were not convinced by some of the evidence they had heard.
His father, Dale Wilson, 55, said: "If you look at the damage that was caused to the side of the car, there is no way that collision happened at between five and ten miles per hour. I just don't believe it."
Mr Wilson had two children with his partner of nine years, Kelly Lloyd, 25, Paris, aged eight, and five-year-old Rhys.
Ms Lloyd said: "He was a good dad. I don't believe some of the things I have heard today and we are still going to fight for answers.
"But he was a great person who will never be forgotten."
