A 74-year-old Porsche driver has died after swerving to avoid a pothole, police believe.
The driver was pronounced dead at the scene after his left-hand-drive Porsche 911 GT2 hit a BMW near the Sussex village of Petworth.
The resulting accident involved four cars and damaged the porch of a house next to the crash scene.
Police are appealing for more information, while witnesses suggested potholes may have been the cause of the fatal smash.
A 65-year-old Midhurst man driving a BMW sustained serious injuries in the crash on Monday morning and was taken to St Richard’s Hospital in Chichester, where he was reported to be in a stable condition.
Pictures of the scene, near Fox Hill on the A272 Horsham Road, show metal ironworks protruding from the road surface.
Police are believed to be investigating a theory that the Porsche driver swerved to avoid the pothole and clipped the BMW before losing control, hitting two other cars and the porch of a nearby house before coming to a stop.
A source close to the investigation said: “It’s possible one of the cars swerved to avoid the pothole. It’s something we are looking at.”
Two other vehicles, a black BMW and a white Audi, were also involved in the accident, Sussex Police said. Neither of those drivers were injured.
Officers said the 74-year-old man from Reigate was pronounced dead at the scene despite efforts by members of the public and paramedics. His next of kin have been informed.
Witnesses said the white, left-hand drive Porsche had a personalised number plate. Prices for the rare model range between £175,000 and £235,000, based on recent advertisements.
People living near the scene said the road was notorious for speeding.
“Everybody speeds down this hill. After winding through all the lanes, it’s frustrating,” said a local who asked not to be named. “Once they see the long straight, they think this is my chance to overtake.”
There is no suggestion that police believe excessive speed played a part in the accident.
The speed limit is 60mph on the stretch of the A272 in question.
The crash happened on the same day as a Porsche owners’ club track day at the nearby Goodwood racing circuit.
The Porsche Club of Great Britain said: “At this time, we haven’t been informed that this is one of our members.”
A West Sussex county council spokesman said: “We are aware of a four-vehicle collision on the A272 Horsham Road in Petworth on Monday (April 29) in which a man has sadly died and another driver suffered injuries.
“First and foremost, our thoughts are with the families and friends of those involved. The police are carrying out a collision investigation and we await their findings. It would not be appropriate to comment any further at this time.”
Potholes have been implicated previously in fatal accidents.
An 84-year-old cyclist was killed in 2023 when the front wheel of his bike became jammed in a 9in-deep pothole on a remote rural road.
Harry Colledge, a retired music teacher and father of three, suffered fatal injuries after he was catapulted from his bicycle in Wyre, Lancashire.
His widow Valerie told The Telegraph that both central and local government must do more to repair potholes on the country’s “woefully inadequate” roads.
Repairing all of the nation’s potholes would cost more than £16 billion, according to the Asphalt Industry Alliance.
