Policeman died of ruptured artery and fractured spine

The policeman who died on Wednesday in a car crash while on duty succumbed to a ruptured artery and a fractured spine, an autopsy has established.

It remains unknown, however, whether Constable Dennis Sammut, 53, lost consciousness before the car smashed into a truck with trailer which was transporting cement.

An eyewitness said she saw the car cut across the bend in Margaret Murray Street, Naxxar and it appeared that PC Sammut did not try to brake because no tyre tracks were found behind the car.

However, they were found behind the trailer, whose driver swerved towards the pavement to try and avoid the car.

The police said in a statement yesterday that the officer's aorta, the largest artery in the body directly connected to the heart, had ruptured. But they would not say whether the autopsy established that this had happened before or after the accident.

The artery is usually ruptured by trauma and blood is rapidly pumped out of a tear because of the high pressure.

PC Sammut's police funeral will take place today at 1 p.m. at St Helen parish church in Birkirkara.

PC Sammut joined the police force 30 years ago and spent the last 15 working at the Naxxar police station.

At the time of the crash he was responding to a call.