A WREXHAM man died after crashing into a building off the A525, an inquest was told. 

Lee Pemberton, of Wern Las in Rhos, was pronounced dead at the scene of the crash at Eglwys Cross, near Whitchurch, in the early evening of June 12, 2022. 

At County Hall in Ruthin on Wednesday (October 25), an inquest was held into the 44-year-old's death. 

It was told that Mr Pemberton lost control of his transit van while overtaking a car, causing him to collide with a barn. He suffered "unsurvivable" injuries and was pronounced dead at the scene. 

The inquest heard that the construction worker came up behind a Ford Focus car and tried to overtake it, then pulled back into the lane as he saw a third vehicle coming towards him in the opposite direction. However, in trying to pull back in, Mr Pemberton's van collided with the Focus, causing him to lose control and collide with the barn. 

A post-mortem examination found that Mr Pemberton, who was wearing a seatbelt, died of chest injuries and an aortic tear due to a road traffic collision. 

Tests for the purpose of toxicology found that Mr Pemberton had 131 micrograms of alcohol in 100ml of blood in his system - with the legal driving limit being 80. Also present was the metabolite of cocaine, also above the legal driving limit. 

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Ian Thompson, forensic collision investigator with North Wales Police, said there were no mechanical defects to either vehicle which caused the collision, and that the weather conditions were fine and dry. Skid tests found the road surface was also in good condition.

The court heard evidence from Connor Broomhall, the driver of the Ford Focus, who said Mr Pemberton had twice tried to overtake by moving to the middle of the road - before pulling back into the right side of the road due to other vehicles coming in the opposite direction. 

He said that when Mr Pemberton did overtake, he seemed to "panic" as there was an oncoming car coming around the bend ahead - causing him to swerve back onto the right side of the road. His van struck the Ford Focus' driver's side, causing the van to spin before colliding with the barn building. 

Olivia Wright-Lewis, the driver of the Audi which Mr Pemberton swerved out of the way of, said the van was being driven "dangerously and recklessly". She said she had seen a van pull out from behind the red Ford Focus, which she initially wasn't concerned about. However, she realised the speed at which the vehicle was approaching and was forced to sound her horn and pull into a junction to avoid a collision. 

Kate Robertson, assistant coroner for North Wales East and Central, recorded a conclusion of road traffic collision. 

Mr Pemberton's partner, Gemma Lee Robbins, said he was a "loving and caring father" and that his child was only nine weeks old when he died.

She added her family all "miss him so much".