Matthew Simmonds, owner and managing director of English bookmaking operation Heathorns, died on Wednesday from injuries suffered in an automobile wreck in West Sussex earlier in the day. He was 36.

Simmonds, a fourth-generation bookmaker, ran his family's company that was originally founded by Alfred Heathorn in 1890. The company was taken over by Simmonds great-grandfather, Hunter, who expanded the operation in the 1930s. Although Heathorns sold its betting shops to Corals a few years ago, the company handles account wagering and just launched a Web site a month ago.

Matthew Simmonds became the head of the company in 1994. He was well-known in the racing industry and has horses with trainers Lawrence Wells and Peter Winkworth.

Coincidentally, Simmonds's grandfather, Ernest, who shared operational duties at Heathorns for 20 years, died as the result of an automobile accident in 1965.