had been drinking and arrested on suspicion of impaired driving shortly before the fatal smash.

And Police have now confirmed that they have no record of arresting Mr. Corea or making him take a breathalyser test prior to his death.

In yesterday's Royal Gazette it was reported that Mr. Corea and the truck driver involved in Saturday's head-on collision had both been drinking. The story claimed that Mr. Corea had been arrested shortly before the crash on suspicion of driving while impaired. The truck driver was arrested at the crash scene on Spanish Point Road shortly after the accident.

The story claimed that both men were breathalysed and gave positive readings although both were also under the legal drink-drive limit.

But yesterday Mr. Corea's brother, Michael, contacted The Royal Gazette to deny the story, saying that the dead man had been a diabetic and was on medication at the time of the accident. Mr. Corea's partner, Laura Dill, and an anonymous caller also contacted The Royal Gazette to say that Mr. Corea never drank and had not been drinking prior to the crash.

Last night a Police spokesman also denied the story, saying that there was no record of Mr. Corea having been arrested, although it was confirmed that the truck driver had given a positive breath test below the legal drink-drive limit.

Royal Gazette Editor Bill Zuill said the newspaper had been misled by a usually reliable source on the story.

"I apologise on behalf of the newspaper to Ms Dill and Mr. Corea's family and deeply regret any embarrassment we have caused them,'' he said. "This was an honest mistake but I appreciate that it was a very bad one nonetheless.'' ACCIDENT AC OBITUARY OBT