Police renew witness appeal to fatal Weston Heath crash

Armands Ozolins, 26, of Great Chatwell, near Newport died the day after the crash, which happened in King Street, Weston Heath at about 10.20am on Tuesday 18th September 2012.

He was the driver of a white Fiat Punto, which was travelling towards the A41 when it was in collision with a horse and rider.

Two other vehicles involved were a green Volkswagen Passatt, which was travelling in the same direction as the Fiat and a white Ford Transit van, which was heading in the opposite direction.

Police Constable Simon Barnes, who is investigating the circumstances of the crash, said he was keen to hear from anyone who was in the area at the time and might be able to assist the investigation.

"I would particularly like to hear from anyone who might have witnessed the actual collision or who may have seen any of the vehicles involved being driven in the area immediately beforehand," he said.

"We have already spoken to several witnesses but are keen to trace as many people as possible to help us establish what caused the crash.

"Three vehicles in total were involved, which resulted in the Punto colliding with the horse. The collision took place just before the junction with Damson Lane, on the road between Lilyhurst and Weston Heath."

Mr Ozolins, a Latvian national, suffered severe head and chest injuries in the collision and died in the Queen Elizabeth Hospital in Birmingham the following day.

An inquest into his death has been opened and adjourned to a date to be fixed.

The rider of the horse suffered serious hand and leg injuries and was taken to the University Hospital of North Staffordshire in Stoke On Trent.

Neither the van or Volkswagen driver were injured. The horse died at the scene immediately after the collision.