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Killed at wheel after hitting tree
View(s):A resident of Anuradhapura driving to Kalmunai was killed close to Batticaloa when he lost control of his car and hit a kumbuk tree, a coroner’s court inquiry was told.
The deceased identified as Muhandiramlage Dharmadasa had reportedly fallen asleep at the wheel at around 4 a.m. leading to the accident
The victim’s son identified as Sandun Pulasthi Kumara, 35, a doctor attached to the Anuradhapura Hospital and travelling in the same vehicle said that he himself had fallen asleep in the vehicle around 2.30 a.m.
He said they had almost reached Batticaloa when his father had lost control of the vehicle which hit a kumbuk tree.
The right side of the vehicle had hit the tree and with the impact Mr. Dharmadasa had received head injuries while his son had suffered injuries to his hand.
Mr. Dharmadasa and his son were travelling to Kalmunai to attend a wedding.
The postmortem was carried out by Judicial Medical Officer H.S.D.P Appuhamy. His report concluded that death was due to injuries sustained to the head when the car smashed into the tree.
Colombo City Coroner M Ashroff Rumi returned a verdict of sudden death caused by an accident where the driver of the vehicle had fallen asleep. He also said serious injuries to the head were the cause of death.