Cannock Road crash: Popular shopkeeper dies after van and car collide in Wolverhampton
A grandfather has died after the van he was driving collided with a car on Wolverhampton's busy Cannock Road - weeks after being hailed a hero for fending off a raider at his store.
Father-of-three Balvinder Singh, 59, was taken to hospital following the crash on Cannock Road, near to the junction of Cross Street North, at around 8.20am yesterday.
He died later that day, in what was the first of two tragedies on Wolverhampton's roads yesterday.
A family statement today said: "He was the most loyal and hard-working family man, with three children and five grandchildren who were his everything.
"He was loved throughout the community."
The stretch of the road was shut until Thursday afternoon.
In November, a hammer-wielding raider was sent packing with just a handful of sweets as brave Mr Singh refused to open the till for him.
Mr Singh was behind the counter of his Nordley Stores off licence, on the corner of Nordley Road and Frederick Road, in Wednesfield, when a man dressed in a hooded sweatshirt burst in demanding cash.
He told the Express & Star: "I saw the hammer. But I wasn't scared. I thought he was joking at first. I was just surprised that he was there so early in the morning, the milkman was still outside you know.
"So I picked up my stick that I keep behind the counter and then he was the one that looked scared.
"He hit the lottery ticket stand with the hammer, but didn't do any damage, and grabbed a handful of sweets before he ran off."
Speaking about yesterday's tragedy, Sgt Alan Hands, from the regional collision investigation unit, said: "I would like anybody who witnessed this incident and hasn't yet spoken to us to get in touch and help us find out exactly what happened.
"Medical staff did all they could but tragically Mr Singh could not be saved.
"I urge anyone who saw what happened to contact us on 101 quoting log number 423 of 29 December."
