Oxford University doctor died in M4 crash near Swindon

Dr Valeria Frighi-Pezzella spent much of her life treating people with diabetes and working to improve the health of those with severe mental illnesses and intellectual disabilities. The 67-year-old grandmother's colleagues at the University of Oxford's Department of Psychiatry described her as "a kind, thoughtful and compassionate person" and are endeavouring to have her work adopted as part of national NICE guidelines. Valeria sat in the front passenger seat while her husband Professor Francesco Pazzella drove along the westbound carriageway of the M4 at around 11.50am on March 9, 2024, after picking up their son Lucio and his girlfriend from Bristol.

They were on their way to the Oxford home of son Matteo and his wife, who had just celebrated the arrival of a baby girl. Valeria had seen her granddaughter over a video call a few days earlier and spoke to Matteo over the phone as the Volvo approached Swindon to chat about the plans for the day, and he said that he was ordering pizza for lunch. For reasons unknown, one mile away from Junction 16, their Volvo slowly and gradually veered left, hit an emergency telephone box, travelled down a steep grass verge, and hit a tree.

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An inquest held at Swindon and Wiltshire Coroners Court on Wednesday could not conclusively prove why this deviation from the motorway had happened but ruled out several possibilities. There was nothing wrong with the car, its tyres, its steering, its speed, the road surface, visibility, or Francesco's driving before the incident, nor were there any distractions. It is possible that he suffered a temporary stroke but there was not enough evidence to prove this on the balance of probabilities.

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The inquest led by area coroner Grant Davies heard that he was a "cautious and attentive driver" who would not have got behind the wheel if he thought he was ill or unable to drive. The back seat passengers noticed nothing unusual until Lucio heard a thud to the left side of the windscreen and his girlfriend heard Valeria say Francesco's nickname in a "startled" tone, then the surface under the car became bumpy. One witness said that the car "calmly left the carriageway" without braking, "like someone had ever so slightly turned the steering wheel".

Mr Davies commended the passing motorists who stopped to help after the crash. Sadly, Valeria died at the scene and her relatives suffered injuries which required treatment in intensive care. She was born in Rome and met her husband at school when they were teenagers, then they both went on to study medicine before moving to Oxford in the 1980s.

Valeria worked as an endocrinologist and diabetes doctor in London and then as a clinician and researcher in Oxford in what the coroner described as "a distinguished and selfless career". As a University of Oxford researcher from 2006 onwards, she studied bone disorders in people with intellectual disabilities and severe mental illnesses, and worked with vulnerable adults through national charities such as Mencap, the Down's Syndrome Association and the Royal Osteoporosis Association. She was a Senior Clinical Researcher and an Honorary Consultant in Endocrinology and Diabetes at Oxford Health NHS Foundation Trust.

Her work informed updated NICE osteoporosis guidelines and was published in esteemed medical journals, including The Lancet. Mr Davies recorded an inquest conclusion of 'road traffic collision', expressed his condolences to the family, said that "sometimes we just don't find the answers that we want", and added that "her work in medical research will be a lasting legacy".

In a tribute to Dr Frighi published by the University of Oxford shortly after her death, Department of Psychiatry head Professor Belinda Lennox said: "Valeria was a dedicated and passionate researcher, working to improve health outcomes for people with severe mental illness and intellectual disabilities. "She collaborated widely and undertook mixed methods research, and loved the teaching and students that she supervised and supported. "Valeria was a kind, thoughtful and compassionate person and a much-loved colleague and friend.

She leaves a big gap and will be hugely missed by everyone here."

In her memory, the department launched a Dr Valeria Frighi Intellectual Disability Research Award of up to ?1,000 last November to support academics with a research interest in the topic of intellectual disabilities.

Oxford University doctor died in M4 crash near Swindon

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