Tragic crash victim 'drove impatiently'

A mother who died after her car was involved in a head-on collision with a bus had been driving "impatiently", an inquest heard.

Jacqueline Ottley, of Wednesbury, was killed when her BMW Mini and a number 428 bus carrying school pupils from Wodensborough Technology Community College collided on Church Lane in West Bromwich last year.

The inquest at Smethwick Council House heard yesterday that the 43-year-old mother-of-seven had been seen doing a U-turn in a hazardous place minutes before the crash at around 3.45pm on November 24.

In a statement read out in court, witness Pamela Grice from Stone Cross described the U-turn manoeuvre and said in her view Mrs Ottley was a "risk taker".

After the U-turn the court heard Mrs Ottley had driven along Black Lake and turned right on to Church Lane and immediately looked like she intended to overtake the Land Rover in front.

Kerri Yates, who was driving the Land Rover, told the court: "The Mini behind me started to overtake, but there was an oncoming bus and there wasn't enough room.

The vehicle then pulled in sharply and hit the front of my Land Rover and then careered down the road and into the front of the bus."

Crash investigator Pc Robin Smalley told the inquest: "The driver was not wearing a seat belt. If she had, the extent of the injuries would not have been as serious and she may well have survived the impact."

Jagrup Singh described to the court how the crash was over in a moment. He suffered neck and back injuries in the crash and was taken to hospital along with 11 others, including a pregnant woman and schoolchildren.

Church Lane was sealed off between Byron Street and Ridgacre Road for almost five hours after the crash.

Black Country Coroner Robin Balmain concluded the inquest by saying: "In my view this was an extremely impatient piece of driving and she was clearly being impatient during the course of this accident."

He said Mrs Ottley, of Vowles Road, died as a result of multiple injuries caused by a road traffic collision.

He added: "It is by the grace of God that nobody else was killed during the course of this impact."

Speaking afterwards Mrs Ottley's daughter Kasheay said: "We all love our mum and we are just going to do everything we can to make her proud. We are just all in shock."