Investigation into river crash death (From Thisisdorset)

Investigation into river crash death

7:00pm Thursday 23rd October 2008 in

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CRASH investigators have released further details of an accident along an isolated country lane that killed a female driver.

The woman, a 60-year-old from the Blandford area, died after her silver Mercedes CLK 230 convertible car left the road and overturned in the River Allen.

Police believe she may have crashed on Tuesday evening, hours before they discovered her body at 9.35am the following day.

Formal identification of the woman was due today following a post mortem at Poole Hospital to establish the cause of death.

Emergency services rushed to the narrow bridge at Horton, five miles north of Wimborne, after receiving calls of the woman trapped in a submerged car.

The car was discovered upside down in the river.

Police said the woman was driving alone at the time, and her next of kin have been informed.

A special Dorset Fire & Rescue Service team from Poole Fire Station attended the scene, as did two fire crews from Verwood and Wimborne, police and paramedics.

The air ambulance was initially scrambled, but later stood down when it became apparent the woman had already been dead for some time.

A roadside recovery vehicle pulled the car from the river around 11am, on Wednesday, but the lane remained closed for several hours to enable investigators to piece together what led up to the tragedy.

Anyone with information should contact Mark Palmer of Ferndown road policing unit on 01202 222222 or Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555111.