A forensic collision investigation is underway in Chippenham following a serious crash.
Emergency services were called to a two-vehicle road traffic collision in Hungerdown Lane, outside Ladyfield Church, at around 11am this morning (18 May).
Two vehicles, a black Ford Fiesta and a red Volkswagen Up, were involved in the head-on impact – which threw both cars out of the carriageway and onto the grass.
20 minutes later, as firefighters worked to extricate the male driver from Volkswagen, he fell into cardiac arrest. First responders started CPR and requested an air ambulance.
Wiltshire Air Ambulance landed in nearby Westcroft Playing Fields and the charity’s critical care medics were swiftly conveyed to the scene in a police car.
The man, in his 70s, was stabilised and airlifted to Southmead Hospital in Bristol with potentially life-threatening injuries – which is the region’s closest major trauma centre.
Wiltshire Police has confirmed that the man’s family have been informed.
The driver of the Ford, a woman, suffered minor injuries in the collision and did not require any hospital treatment.
A forensic collision investigation is now underway at the scene, with the road closed in both directions between Ladyfield Road and Sheldon Road/Derriads Lane.
The road is expected to remain closed for at least another four hours (6pm).
Anyone with information, who witnessed the collision or have CCTV/dashcam footage of the incident is asked to contact Wiltshire Police urgently.
You can contact the Serious Collision Investigation Unit on 01225 694597 quoting log number 98 of today (18 May) or can email the team directly at [email protected].