Grandfather killed instantly in A1000 crash (From St Albans & Harpenden Review)

Grandfather killed instantly in A1000 crash

1:15pm Wednesday 1st July 2009

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A 57-year-old devoted grandfather from Hatfield died instantly when his car skidded off the icy road and crashed into a tree, an inquest heard.

Sunanda Senanayake, who was born in Sri Lanka but had lived in Broom Close for five years, was on his way to work on Saturday, February 7, when lost control of his Mercedes on the A1000 near Brookmans Park.

Several cars went past Mr Senanayake's stricken car, which had flipped on to its roof, before a fellow motorist stopped to help and call for paramedics.

Mr Senanayake, who worked for Metroline as a bus driver, was pronounced dead at the scene, leaving behind three generations of his family, including his first grandson, devastated by their loss.

At the inquest held yesterday at Hatfield Coroners Court into his death, Dr Al-Izzi, consultant pathologist from the East and North Hertforshire NHS Trust, said a deep wound on the top of Mr Senanayake's head caused his heart to stop.

He said: “He died literally at the moment of the accident. The most likely cause of that would be a shock to the brain.

“If the brain is shaken so quickly, or subject to a trauma, it will cause immediate death.

“The brain will control everything that is happening, and in this case, despite his injuries, he wouldn't be in any pain.”

Dr Al-Izzi said arteries to his heart were almost completely destroyed in the crash and he had severe injuries to his lung and spleen. But evidence showed his heart had stopped on impact as there was very little blood at the scene.

Edward Thomas, who conducted the inquest, heard from accident investigators who were on the scene of the fatal crash shortly after it happened, at around 5.10am.

Mr Senanayake is not thought to have been speeding when he went over a patch of water from a blocked drain which had frozen over.

His car was sent into a spin, but despite slamming on the brakes and trying to control the car, he went off the road and hit a tree.

Despite six separate gritting operations on the A1000 the day before, the inquest heard the freezing conditions made the road treacherous on the morning of Mr Senanayake's death.

Concluding, Mr Thomas recorded an accidental death, and said: “This is very sad, I can't imagine what it was like.

“We have lost a someone who was obviously a lovely man.”

Mr Senanayake's wife, Audrey, spoke to the Welwyn and Hatfeld Review following her husband's death, and said: “I miss him every minute of every day and will do for the rest of my life.

“Being a very organised and trustworthy person, it was important to Sunanda to never be late for work and he would make a special effort to leave home early to get where he needed to be in plenty of time and as safely as possible.

“He was a very careful driver and had received many awards from work for his safe driving skills “Sunanda will be very much missed by his family, friends and work colleagues.”

Mr Senanayake came with his family to the UK in 1991, moving to Hatfield from London five years ago.

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