A MAN who died when his car smashed into a bus on a Dorset road had drugs in his system, an inquest heard.

Jonathan Clarke, 43, was killed when his Ford Fiesta, which was travelling on the wrong side of the road on the A357 at Shillingstone between Blandford and Sturminster Newton, collided with a single decker bus operated by Damory Coaches.

West Dorset coroner Michael Johnston said that Mr Clarke, from Bagber in Sturminster Newton, would have died at the scene on the afternoon of July 28 last year.

Mr Johnston told the inquest that Mr Clarke had been questioned by police earlier that day when he was a passenger in another vehicle travelling with three other people, including two who were ‘known to deal in illicit drugs’.

He was alone in his vehicle later in the afternoon travelling towards Sturminster Newton when he crossed the white line and into the lane of the single decker bus that was travelling towards Yeovil. He sustained injuries including fractures to his skull and ribcage.

Forensic tests showed that traces of methadone, heroin and diazepam were found in Mr Clarke’s blood which could have impaired his driving ability.

Mr Johnston said that it is possible Mr Clarke could have ‘dozed off’ as an effect of the drugs in his system.

Erica Chapman, who was a new driver under the supervision of Ian Gillies, was operating the bus involved and she told the inquest how Mr Clarke was initially ‘straddling’ the white line before coming right across it.

Miss Chapman sustained minor injuries and five of eight passengers were injured but were described by police at the time as ‘walking wounded’. In her evidence she said: “The vehicle was coming from Blandford round a slight bend and was heading towards me.

“It had veered across on to my side of the road.

“To start with it was just straddling the white line and then it came further over.

“I slammed on my brakes to avoid it.

“It happened so suddenly.”

PC John Hayward of Dorset Police, who attended the crash scene, said: “It had been established that the Ford Fiesta motorcar had crossed the centre hazard line when the collision occurred.

“There appears little that the driver of the bus could have done to avoid the collision.”

Mr Johnston recorded a verdict of accidental death.