Inquest formally opened into A5 crash death of popular Oswestry lorry driver

Shirehall, Shrewsbury

Ashley Jones, aged 34, of Hillside, Oswestry, was found unresponsive following a crash involving a car when he was a pedestrian on the A5 Oswestry bypass at around 5.10am on Sunday, August 20.

Heath Westerman, Shropshire's deputy coroner, passed on his "sincere condolences to the family and all who knew" Mr Jones when he opened the inquest on Friday.

Mr Westerman was told that Mr Jones was a Shrewsbury-born heavy goods vehicle driver and that he was identified by a police constable who attended the crash and compared him to the photo on his driving licence.

Mr Jones was pronounced dead at 5.35am on August 20.

Mr Westerman, sitting at the Coroner's Court at Shirehall in Shrewsbury, formally adjourned the full inquest to December 19, 2023.

A fundraiser has been set up and tributes have begun pouring in for Mr Jones's family. So far more than £4,000 of a target of £5,000 has been raised.

The incident occurred between the Mile End Roundabout with the A483 and Whittington Roundabout with the A495, with police saying a pedestrian had been hit by a car.

Colleagues of Mr Jones, who worked for Salop Haulage in Shrewsbury, said they were "numb" following the death of 'Ash'.

Duncan Harris, transport manager at Salop Haulage, previously said the father-of-six had "lived for his family".

He added: "This has hit us so hard and I am still numb from it. All the staff here are more like family.

"Ash was a true grafter, nothing was too much trouble. He was never down whatever the situation.

"I have spent a lot of Monday just on the phone with customers in disbelief and paying tribute to him. He lived for his family, his lorry and his job. A true professional with an old head on his shoulders."

A GoFundMe fundraising page has also been set up by a family friend of Mr Jones, which reached halfway to its £5,000 fundraising total in the first 24 hours of being set up.

West Mercia Police appealed for witnesses following the fatal collision.

PC Steve Wootton from the force's Serious Collision Investigation Unit said: ‘‘Our thoughts are with the man’s family at this sad time. I would like to appeal for any witnesses to the collision to come forward or anyone who was passing through the area around 5.10 Sunday morning who may have dash-cam footage."

Anyone with information is asked to contact PC Steve Wootton on 101 extension 7702273 or by email on [email protected] quoting incident 112i from August 20.