The best friend of a man who drove his car into a bridge has described the chilling moment he showed him the spot where he planned to kill himself.

Dave Rees, known to his friends as Trigger, died instantly when his red Audi A4 smashed into a bridge pillar on the Ashford-bound A2070 on Thursday, May 30.

Speaking at an inquest where a coroner recorded a suicide verdict, friend of 14 years Jason Hardy revealed how Mr Rees had driven him to the bridge and told him of his plans.

Mr Hardy, who met Mr Rees when their sons started playing football together, said: "Trigger had always told me that if he was to go it would be one of two ways.

"One was an overdose and the other was to drive his car into a pretty solid object at relatively high speed. He told me he'd planned the route he would take.

"We were driving along the A2070 and he said, 'Do you know where we're driving?' I said, of course I knew where we were.

"But he replied, 'This is the route I told you about. That’s the bridge. This is the 99th time I've driven this route – the 100th time will be the last'.

"Then we went back to his house and had a cup of tea as if it was nothing."

The 52-year-old father had been suffering from depression since the breakdown of his 20-year marriage to wife Tracy three years before his death, according to Mr Hardy.

His friend said despite taking anti-depressants, Mr Rees suffered from mood swings, which were heightened when he drank alcohol, and he had attempted suicide at least twice before.

Once, in August 2012, he had taken a combination of medication and alcohol and later told Mr Hardy he had intended to take his own life.

He also repeatedly asked Mr Hardy to buy him a lethal cocktail of drugs available online from another country for about £100, but he refused.

'This is the route I told you about. That’s the bridge. This is the 99th time I've driven this route – the 100th time will be the last'... - friend Jason Hardy

Mr Hardy added: "If he wasn't working on a weekend he would lock himself away and go on a bit of a bender.

"He could drink four or five litres of wine in a weekend if he was on a particular downer or a bottle and a half in an evening.

"He felt that with the loss of his wife he didn't see anything for him to be around for. He talked about suicide on a fairly regular basis."

Mr Rees worked as branch manager at Charles Wilson Engineers, in Wotton Road, for 16 years.

Mr Hardy said his friend was well respected at work and successful in his career, but the inquest heard he was suspended from his role shortly before his death.

The reason for the suspension was not disclosed at the inquest, which took place in Dover.

Mr Rees had two sons - Dave and Jordan - with Tracy Rees, and a daughter, Sam Mercer, from a previous relationship.

He attended the Brockhill Park school, now Brockhill Park Performing Arts College, in Saltwood, Hythe, and enjoyed fishing, football and golf.

Video: Scene of the crash in which Dave Rees was killed in Ashford

PC Simon Masterson, from the police Serious Collision Investigation Unit, confirmed the bridge Mr Rees' car hit was the same one he drove to with Mr Hardy.

PC Masterson said there were no tyre marks on the road to suggest Mr Rees had braked or steered to avoid the bridge support, and revealed the driver's side of the car took most of the impact from the crash.

Mr Rees was not drunk, had not taken drugs and was not using his mobile phone at the time of the crash, the police investigation found.

PC Masterson said: "I am unable to exclude the possibility the collision was caused by fatigue, distraction or a deliberate act by Mr Rees."

Pathologist Dr Nicola Chaston said there was no bruising on Mr Rees' body from a seatbelt, but stressed she could not confirm he definitely was not wearing one.

Mr Rees, who was born in Folkestone, died as a result of multiple injuries, she said.

Recording a verdict of suicide, coroner Alan Blunsden said: "It is clear from the evidence that Mr Rees had suffered from depression for some time and that there were ups and there were downs.

"He had made at least one or two attempts previously to take his own life.

"The combination of the compelling evidence from Mr Hardy and the evidence of the police officer drives me to record a conclusion of suicide."

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