8:30am Thursday 21st May 2009
By David Deans
A PENSIONER died in Spain after trying to overtake on a busy road in a right-hand drive car.
Russell Mould, 81, originally from Penallt near Monmouth, died after a crash on April 30 last year, a Newport Coroners Court inquest heard.
Deputy Gwent coroner Wendy James told the court that at 6.10pm Mr Mould was travelling in his Mercedes with his wife on the N332 highway - which runs between Valencia and Cartagena.
Mr Mould attempted to overtake but came into the path of an oncoming Daewoo car.
He died later of a heart attack after the accident.
A Spanish police report said the road was said to be in a good state of repair.
The driver of the oncoming Daewoo did not have enough time to adjust to the Mr Jones in front of her, the report added.
Witnesses had described traffic on the road as heavy, Mrs James said, and that the car Mr Mould was driving with his wife was a right-hand drive model.
Giving evidence, son Andrew Mould told court that before he retired around ten years ago he worked as company chairman.
He said he would visit his holiday home in Alicante for three or four weeks at a time where they kept the Mercedes.
When asked by Mrs James whether he believed Mr Mould to be a careful and considerate driver, he agreed.
She said his field of vision was impaired because he was driving a right hand vehicle, adding he made "an error of judgement" to overtake in heavy traffic.
The coroner recorded a verdict of accidental death, the cause was cardiac arrest.
© Copyright 2001-2010 Newsquest Media Group
http://www.southwalesargus.co.uk