AN inquest has heard how a man who died in a car crash was driving so fast his vehicle managed to 'smash apart' a concrete pillar. Jason Heal, aged 36, of The Deans, Portishead, died from head and neck injuries after crashing off The Portbury Hundred at

AN inquest has heard how a man who died in a car crash was driving so fast his vehicle managed to 'smash apart' a concrete pillar.Jason Heal, aged 36, of The Deans, Portishead, died from head and neck injuries after crashing off The Portbury Hundred at about 2.45am on March 15.His upturned Vauxhall Astra was discovered by PC Andrew Grigg at 10am after he spotted debris and engine parts on the side of the road.Ambulance crews were called but Mr Heal was pronounced dead at the scene.A toxicology report revealed he had twice the legal limit of alcohol in his blood when he died. PC Peter Sargent, from the road policing unit in Weston, gave evidence at the inquest, held at Flax Bourton Village Hall.He said Mr Neal had been trying to drive round a sweeping right hand bend when his car crossed the road and entered a drainage ditch where the car hit a concrete parapet, catapulting it back towards the road.The car came to rest more than six metres away from the road in some bushes.PC Sargent said: "The car must have been going extremely fast in order to smash apart the parapet. The car was very badly damaged."Deputy coroner Brian Whitehouse said: "The level of alcohol was a major contributory factor to this accident, as was one of excessive speed. Jason has paid a terrible price for his actions."A formal verdict of accidental death was recorded.