Council was warned about dangers of pothole-plagued road before horror smash killed Porsche driver, 74, who 'swerved to avoid hitting one'

A council was warned about dangerous potholes along a stretch of road months before a Porsche driver was killed in a horror smash.

The four-car collision happened when a Porsche driver, 74, clipped an oncoming vehicle and crashed into the side of a house near Petworth, West Sussex, on April 29.

Police are investigating whether the driver, from Reigate, Surrey, may have been trying to dodge a pothole on the A272 Horsham Road.

Reports sent to West Sussex Council on March 14 reveal they were warned about drivers on the same stretch of the A272 veering onto the opposite side of the road to avoid hitting potholes.

A concerned member of the public informed the council of a 1.6ft-wide pothole on the road going west, and another 1.3ft-wide crater in the other direction.

The report said: 'Both cause vehicles to veer into the opposite carriageway. They have been there for longer than 30 days and are continuing to deteriorate.' 

The same day, another individual also wrote in and said:  'In 14 months I've had to buy four new wheels, 12 tyres and two new front wheel bearings all due to the negligence of the public highway. I want answers.

'Both east and westbound the carriageway is destroyed and liable to cause a serious accident'. 

The man was pronounced dead at the scene after his 911 997 GT2, a stripped back version of the iconic sports car designed for driving at race circuits, hit multiple cars and a roadside home.

A 65-year-old man from Midhurst in Sussex who was driving a white BMW was taken to hospital after incurring 'serious injuries' in the smash. Two other vehicles, a black BMW and a white Audi, were also involved. 

Sussex Police detectives believe the left-hand drive sports car crashed into the BMW as it swerved to avoid the crater in the tarmac, hitting two other vehicles and the porch of a roadside house before coming to a stop. 

Paramedics, including an air ambulance, were summoned and treated the man at the scene. Despite their best efforts he died before he could be taken to hospital.

The 65-year-old driver of the white BMW who was injured was taken to St Richard's Hospital in Chichester where he is now in stable. The drivers of the two other vehicles were not injured.

Those living near the scene said the stretch of road is notorious for speeding. There is no suggestion at this time that excessive speed played a factor in the incident.

One local said: 'Everybody speeds down this hill. After winding through all the lanes, its frustration.

'Once they see the long straight, they think: 'This is my chance to overtake'.'

The report was made by FixMyStreet, a app for road users to report potholes to the RAC, which showed that a third of motorists have been forced to swerve quickly to avoid a pothole and ended up completely crossing into another lane or the other side of the road.

A West Sussex County Council spokesperson said at the time of the collision: 'We are aware of a four-vehicle collision on the A272 Horsham Road in Petworth on Monday (29 April) in which a man has sadly died and another driver suffered injuries.

'First and foremost, our thoughts are with the families and friends of those involved. The police are carrying out a collision investigation and we await their findings. It would not be appropriate to comment any further at this time.'

West Sussex County Council and Sussex Police have been contacted for further comment.