UPDATED: Lorry driver dies after A23 crash in Handcross

A lorry driver has died after a crash on one of the county’s busiest roads.

Emergency services were called to the A23 in Handcross, south of Crawley, at about 12.45pm today.

An articulated lorry carrying a dumper truck left the carriage way into the verge.

The road was closed in both directions for up to four hours while emergency crews, including the air ambulance, attended the incident.

However, the male driver of the vehicle died at the scene.

Reports suggested tailbacks stretched back up to six miles this afternoon.

A police spokeswoman said: “Unfortunately the A23 was closed southbound for over four hours, but it is now open. This was necessary to safely facilitate the specialist recovery of the large vehicle and its load.

“We would like to thank the public for their co-operation and patience during this time.”

Anyone with information is asked to call Sussex Police on 101.

Comments(16)

Nathan_Adler says...
6:34pm Thu 4 Oct 12

Just got in after taking me 2 hours to get back from Gatwick. Whilst I cursed and swore at the person who caused me this, I now feel bad as some poor bloke has died.

May he therefore rest in peace and love to his family and friends.

Brighton pebbles says...
6:36pm Thu 4 Oct 12

RIP, thoughts with family and friends.

vogon1 says...
6:49pm Thu 4 Oct 12

Just goes to show how precious life is and how quickly it can all be taken away. Puts all other problems in perspective too. RIP lorry driving man

Thatsjustyummy says...
7:08pm Thu 4 Oct 12

RIP Drive.

Anyone that complains about traffic when someone has died is an a***.

As is the BMW driver on the A272 by Bolney this evening that stuffed his car into the rear of someone else by obviously not paying attention.

angrymonkey says...
7:50pm Thu 4 Oct 12

RIP to lorry driver and no change a BMW driver going into the rear of someone .

Unbias says...
8:37pm Thu 4 Oct 12

Nathan_Adler wrote:
Just got in after taking me 2 hours to get back from Gatwick. Whilst I cursed and swore at the person who caused me this, I now feel bad as some poor bloke has died. May he therefore rest in peace and love to his family and friends.
Nathan you said it all there in a really thoughful way I think.

RIP fella x

richardpowell40 says...
8:47pm Thu 4 Oct 12

i was caught in the tailback for an hour and a half.such a shame and waste of a life,only yesterday i witnessed an audi R8 come off the road in front of my HGV on the A23 at the A272 junction. it happens so quick.

Dave At Home says...
11:50pm Thu 4 Oct 12

Very sad news indeed, I saw the guys working (CPR) on him on the roadside as I passed North bound at 1.10pm I think he must have had a blackout or heart attack. He managed to bring the truck to a safe stop, intentionally or not without causing any further distress or harm to any other road users.
I was a little disturbed to see the ambulance come from Haywards Heath and not from Crawley, I hope valuable time was not lost getting vital equipment to this man? It must be awful for the people that worked on him and could not bring him back, they must of tried so hard without the result they wanted. The air ambulance landed some time later but again this was too late I feel. Well RIP Mr Driver, it could have been a lot worse than it was, as I said before.

westside says...
7:52am Fri 5 Oct 12

its a shame but when all these call centers get moved well out of the area you try to explain where the problem is and they haven't a clue what your talking about. i remember when if you needed help at least the person on the other end of the phone would say yes i know exactly where you are. this would surely cut down on the time to get to the incident.

Crystal Ball says...
8:53am Fri 5 Oct 12

Thatsjustyummy wrote:
RIP Drive.

Anyone that complains about traffic when someone has died is an a***.

As is the BMW driver on the A272 by Bolney this evening that stuffed his car into the rear of someone else by obviously not paying attention.
As Jeremy Clarkson said "BMWS, built by Germans, driven by t*ssers".

Cabin fever says...
9:33am Fri 5 Oct 12

Crystal Ball wrote:
Thatsjustyummy wrote:
RIP Drive.

Anyone that complains about traffic when someone has died is an a***.

As is the BMW driver on the A272 by Bolney this evening that stuffed his car into the rear of someone else by obviously not paying attention.
As Jeremy Clarkson said "BMWS, built by Germans, driven by t*ssers".
Very apt that he should use that terminology.

Nice generalisation, too. You too, angrymonkey.

RIP Trucker.

bas466 says...
9:46am Fri 5 Oct 12

westside wrote:
its a shame but when all these call centers get moved well out of the area you try to explain where the problem is and they haven't a clue what your talking about. i remember when if you needed help at least the person on the other end of the phone would say yes i know exactly where you are. this would surely cut down on the time to get to the incident.
It has nothing to do with call centres being moved. The ambulance call centre is and has been in Lewes for many years and the staff there are excellent at knowing locations. The ambulance deployed would have been the nearest available ambulance to the scene of the incident. Just also wondering how Dave At home knew this one had actually come from Haywards Heath. It could have been on the A23 further south, or in Burgess Hill. Sadly, the ambulance service is so busy nowaday that it is highly unlikely there will be one waiting on station.

Falmer Wizard says...
7:03pm Fri 5 Oct 12

Its a fact of life that A&E`s and Ambulance centres are being merged which results in delay in getting patients into hospital which makes a great difference as to whether they survive or not..
The present NHS system is okay if you become ill between 0900 AND 1700 Monday to Friday.

Dave At Home says...
10:47pm Fri 5 Oct 12

bas466 wrote:
westside wrote:
its a shame but when all these call centers get moved well out of the area you try to explain where the problem is and they haven't a clue what your talking about. i remember when if you needed help at least the person on the other end of the phone would say yes i know exactly where you are. this would surely cut down on the time to get to the incident.
It has nothing to do with call centres being moved. The ambulance call centre is and has been in Lewes for many years and the staff there are excellent at knowing locations. The ambulance deployed would have been the nearest available ambulance to the scene of the incident. Just also wondering how Dave At home knew this one had actually come from Haywards Heath. It could have been on the A23 further south, or in Burgess Hill. Sadly, the ambulance service is so busy nowaday that it is highly unlikely there will be one waiting on station.
It came off the A272 behind me as I travelled North bound, it overtook me in the 40 zone and by the time I reached the accident it was still coming off the Pease Pottage junction, trying to get through the queuing traffic. :( I assumed it had come from Haywards Heath...

F in L says...
8:08am Mon 8 Oct 12

Thatsjustyummy wrote:
RIP Drive.

Anyone that complains about traffic when someone has died is an a***.

As is the BMW driver on the A272 by Bolney this evening that stuffed his car into the rear of someone else by obviously not paying attention.
Martin Phillips, the driver of that BMW you are ridiculing had suffered a mini. Stroke at the time and is now recovering. He is a paediatric nurse at Haywards Heath hospital. Please, keep your ill thought out and offensive thoughts to yourself.

F in L says...
8:08am Mon 8 Oct 12

Thatsjustyummy wrote:
RIP Drive.

Anyone that complains about traffic when someone has died is an a***.

As is the BMW driver on the A272 by Bolney this evening that stuffed his car into the rear of someone else by obviously not paying attention.
Martin Phillips, the driver of that BMW you are ridiculing had suffered a mini. Stroke at the time and is now recovering. He is a paediatric nurse at Haywards Heath hospital. Please, keep your ill thought out and offensive thoughts to yourself.

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