collins began to record keyboard and organ parts for the charlatans' fifth album, "tellin' stories", but was killed in a car crash while driving his bmw 520i on a country road outside monmouth on 22 july 1996 just before sessions were completed. an investigation into the accident showed that collins had consumed a sizable amount of alcohol and was not wearing a seatbelt. he died from head injuries on the roadside shortly after the accident, having been thrown through the sunroof. investigators concluded that he probably would not have died had he worn a seatbelt.