Crash death nurse 'may have been asleep at wheel'

Kettering Magistrates' Court heard that Caren Ashcroft's death was accidental

A nurse who drove into the wrong lane on the A43 on her way home may have fallen asleep at the wheel, an inquest has heard.

Caren Ashcroft, 53, died when her car veered into the path of oncoming cars on the A43 in Northamptonshire in June.

Crash investigators said either she was sleeping or passed out as a result of diabetes.

Coroner Anne Pember said she would have died instantly and said that her death was accidental.

'Medical episode'

Mrs Ashcroft was driving southbound on the A43 between Mawsley and Walgrave when she crossed the carriageway and collided with two cars just after 16:30 BST on 7 June.

Speaking at the inquest at Kettering Magistrates' Court, PC Dave Watson, a forensic collision investigator, said that another driver had sounded their horn but Mrs Ashcroft did not respond.

He said she "appeared to be incapacitated, she did not respond to the sound".

"She was likely to have fallen asleep or had a medical episode as a result of her diabetes," he said.

In tribute, Kettering General Hospital's Director of Nursing, Leanne Hackshall, said that Mrs Ashcroft had been a nurse there for 30 years and was "a much loved and well respected member of staff".

She worked in various areas across the trust, most recently in orthopaedics and surgery.