Copthorne crash victim named

Scene of a fatal RTC, Copthorne Bank, Copthorne. Pic Steve Robards SR1602681 SUS-160122-125223001

James Gant, from Copthorne, died after his car left the road and hit a tree on Monday January 18.

Emergency services were called to Copthorne Bank, at around 10.30pm.

Police said a Hyundai i30 left the road and collided with a tree.

Scene of a fatal RTC, Copthorne Bank, Copthorne. Pic Steve Robards SR1602676 SUS-160122-125212001

The 33-year-old, who was driving the car, was pronounced dead at the scene.

The road was closed for several hours while officers investigated the crash.

It was re-opened in the early hours of the following morning.

Floral and written tributes were left at the scene a few days after the crash.

One read: “James, I will miss you more than you will ever know.”

Worth Parish Council held a Planning and Highways meeting three hours before the incident in which a letter raising concerns about traffic, parking and speeding in the area was discussed by councillors.

In the letter a resident, from Oak Close, called for speed bumps to be created to slow cars in Copthorne Bank and BrookHill Road.

He also claimed major parking problems had been caused along Copthorne Bank due a pinch point being created.

The letter read: “Our masters have created the Copthorne Bank parking problem and failed to stop the Brookhill Road and Copthorne Bank speeding problems.”

The parish council was approached for comment but no response has yet been received.

There was no suggestion the man who died had been speeding at the time of the crash.

Police are no longer investigating the incident and an inquest has been opened into his death.

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