M62 Ouse Bridge roadworks: Inquest hears HGV driver who had taken cocaine crashed into roofer's car as they approached roadworks - killing them both

Army veteran Adrian Haywood, 53, ploughed his flatbed HGV into the rear of 54-year-old Dale Christopher Emery’s BMW, shunting it into the back of a Warburtons lorry, as he tried to change lanes on the approach to the Ouse Bridge roadworks on April 6 last year.

The inquest at Hull Coroner’s Court on Monday heard that both Mr Haywood and Mr Emery died of severe burns after both the car and the HGV’s cab were consumed by a ‘fireball’ which ignited immediately after the impact.

A female passenger was rescued from My Haywood’s lorry by a group of brave men who had stopped to help, but who were unable to free the trapped father-of-three despite heroic efforts that were commended by area coroner Lorraine Harris.

The hearing was told that the works on the bridge, which are still ongoing, involved a reduction in lanes and that delays and build-ups of congestion had become common in the area in the two weeks since the project had begun.

Mr Emery had set off from his home in Leeds to work in the BMW, leaving partner Julie Leach, who described him as ‘considerate, loving and genuine’. A Humberside Police investigation established that he was not at fault for any of the events that followed, had not taken any alcohol or drugs, and had been stationary in the slow lane of the M62 eastbound with his handbrake on when he ended up between the two HGVs.

Mr Haywood’s daughter Christine gave extensive evidence relating to the past of her father, who lived in Annesley, Nottingham. After serving in the Army, Mr Haywood had worked as a butcher, car salesman and latterly self-employed lorry driver for a haulage company which specialised in transporting construction materials.

She added that Mr Haywood had been known to use cocaine and drink heavily during times when his mental health was poor, and to take family members in the cab with him on work trips. He had a son and daughter in their 30s, and in 2020 had met a new partner with whom he had a baby daughter. She admitted he had served a spell in prison for drugs supply, but described him as a ‘good father’ who was hardworking and devoted to his family.

Postmortem toxicological tests established that Mr Haywood had taken cocaine, which was likely to have impaired his driving ability.

His passenger, who survived with a broken neck, confirmed that they had set off at around 5am that day to deliver a load of pipes to a building site in Willerby, near Hull. She had little memory of the collision, but recalled that Mr Haywood had taken a wrong turn after leaving Willerby to collect another cargo from Goole Docks, and had ended up on the Humber Bridge.

Mr Haywood’s employer, David Bradbury, was able to track the Scania HGV’s journey through an app, which recorded his driving as normal and of no concern before the collision.

Witnesses who gave evidence included the driver of the Warburtons lorry, Gary Levers, who was heading for North Cave and confirmed he had seen a message on the M62 gantries warning of congestion ahead. Traffic was slowing near the slip road for Goole Docks, and he was almost at a standstill when he heard a loud bang at the rear of his trailer. When he exited the cab, he saw that Mr Haywood’s lorry had jack-knifed and that flames were already taking hold of the wreckage.

Another driver, Richard Peart, was driving to the pub he owns in Gilberdyke, and said he spotted the flatbed lorry and ‘knew something was going to happen’ because it was not slowing down. He said the HGV indicated to pull into the second lane, but then seemed to ‘change its mind’ while straddling both lanes. Although Mr Haywood had not been braking, he suddenly braked so hard that his wheels locked and smoke came from the arches. There was an almost immediate explosion.

James Cox, a former Army mechanic, had just left the M62 in his own lorry when he spotted the collision from the slip road and went to help. Mr Cox described how he and other men, finding the HGV’s door jammed shut, climbed onto the trailer, smashed a small window and saw Mr Haywood, who was conscious and in shock. The driver immediately shouted to the rescuers to help his passenger, who was in the footwell, and they managed to pass her out of the window and onto the hard shoulder.

The fire was spreading and at this point, My Haywood was leaning out of the cab door, but Mr Cox said his leg appeared to be trapped and despite their best efforts to pull him clear, the fire took hold of the cab and they had to retreat.

Collision investigator PC Robert Sawyers from Humberside Police said CCTV from the motorway showed Mr Haywood’s truck colliding with Mr Emery’s stationary BMW, while Mr Levers’ lorry was also only ‘crawling’. He added that illuminated signage warning of the congestion was visible in all footage recovered, and that a Highways England report established that all signage was displayed correctly.

He found there was nothing to indicate why Mr Haywood had changed lanes, and that he had also gone past the most direct turn-off he should have taken for his call at Goole Docks. PC Sawyers said: “I can only surmise that the drugs influenced his decision-making process. He failed to appreciate the slowing traffic and failed to react. Had he stayed in the second lane, he would have passed the queue. We don’t know why he made that decision.”

Recording conclusions of death in a road traffic collision for both men, Mrs Harris said: “The cocaine would have affected Adrian Haywood’s driving ability. He had made errors with regards to his route, though I cannot say why he missed the junction. He failed to identify the road changes ahead.

"I want to commend the men who tried to help. Only through their actions did the passenger survive. Their bravery should be recognised.”