OFF: Cozy Powell

[Andy Gilham]

The following was in today's (London) _Times_ - may be of morbid interest:

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Rock star's girlfriend heard crash on phone

BY SIMON DE BRUXELLES




COZY POWELL, the rock drummer, died when he crashed his car while talking to
his girlfriend on a hand-held mobile telephone, an inquest was told
yesterday.

The 50-year-old musician, real name Colin Powell, was over the drink-driving
limit and was not wearing a seatbelt when he told Sharon Reeve that he was
doing 104mph. The car spun out of control on a bend after a slow puncture
deflated a rear tyre.

The drummer, who had a solo hit with Dance With the Devil and had been a
member of Black Sabbath, Whitesnake and the Michael Schenker Group, was
hurled from the vehicle as it cartwheeled through the air before landing on
top of him.

The inquest in Bristol was told that the accident happened as Mr Powell was
driving along the M4 on his way to visit Miss Reeve in Cardiff. In a
statement Miss Reeve said: "He said he was having trouble with his gearbox
and said, 'I'm driving at nearly 104mph and I hope the engine doesn't
seize.' He broke off in mid-sentence. I heard Cozy say 'Oh, shit' and I
heard a loud bang." Verdict: accidental death.
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- Andy

mailto:Andy.Gilham at btinternet.com; http://www.btinternet.com/~andy.gilham