Policeman died after he lost control of his car

A POLICEMAN died after he lost control of his car in poor weather conditions and crashed down an embankment on a Cornish road, an inquest heard.

Pc Kevin Sparks, 45, a diversity officer, who lived in Plymouth, was pronounced dead at the scene on the A38.

Eyewitnesses told how Pc Sparks had hit a puddle of standing water before the car began to swerve out of control before flipping over and shooting down the embankment.

He was driving his green Ford Fiesta to work at St Austell police station at around 6.25am on October 8 last year when the tragedy happened at Menheniot, near Liskeard.

A post mortem revealed he died from traumatic liver rupture in the accident.

Yesterday the inquest at Truro heard that on the morning of the crash it had been raining heavily with winds of around 20 mph.

Pc Sparks had pulled into the outside lane to make way for a Co-Op lorry that was beginning to pull out of a layby.

Eyewitness Nicholas Mills was travelling behind Pc Sparks when he saw the officer's car pass the lorry, hit the puddle before swerving to the right and then back to the left.

He said: "There was a screech of tyres and the car went up in the air and hit the side (the crash barrier). The car rolled over and down the grass verge. It was so quick – like a flash."

Mr Mills stopped and rang for the emergency services.

Meanwhile the lorry driver Kevin Hancock had also stopped.

Mr Hancock said he scrambled down the embankment to try to help the officer.

He said: "I ran around the car calling out to the driver. There was a deathly silence. I couldn't see how anyone could be alive. I tried to gain access to the car but couldn't."

Mr Hancock said that seconds before he had seen Pc Sparks hit a puddle of standing water causing the car to swerve.

Examination of the officer's car revealed no mechanic defects and that it was in serviceable condition.

Gary Looker, accident investigator, said that he could not be sure how fast Pc Sparks was travelling along the dual carriageway which is subject to 70mph speed limit.

He said: "I am unable to give a precise speed for the Ford Fiesta, but the speed was likely to be consistent with a vehicle travelling on the dual carriageway.

Andrew Cox, Deputy Coroner for Cornwall, recorded a verdict of accidental death.

He said: "I think it is clear that the weather conditions on the day were absolutely appalling. I am satisfied that no other vehicle was involved.

"Pc Sparks was driving along a road he knew well and may not have fully anticipated how poor the weather conditions were.

"He temporarily lost control of his car and when he tried to regain control he oversteered by a fraction of a second and the vehicle came off the road."

The officer was born in Scotland and gained a degree in Botany at Dundee University.

He worked as a police officer for 22 years and joined Devon and Cornwall police in 2002 after serving with Thames Valley Police.

He had been pivotal in the success of the local Diverse Communities Team building trust and confidence with the wide communities he served in Cornwall.

Pc Sparks' mother Doreen, father Kieth and his brother Michael attended the hearing.

Speaking afterwards, Mrs Sparks paid tribute to her son.

She said: Kevin loved people and he loved helping them. He had a great sense of humour and was a wonderful artist. These are the things we must remember him by. It's a comfort to know that the lorry driver tried his best to help him and that he was not alone.

"This has all been such a shock. We will always miss him."