Driver in Tebay M6 crash would have faced manslaughter charges
Jaroslaw Rossa, 42, together with his sons Filip, 15, and Dominic, 7, and partner Jade McEnroe, 33, were killed on October 15, 2024, when the Toyota Yaris Mr Rossa was driving was involved in a head-on collision on the M6 near Tebay with a Skoda Fabia driven by Richard Woods, 40, from Cambridgeshire. Ms McEnroe's seven-year-old son Arran was also a passenger in the car, but was saved by the heroic actions of a witness, Gavin Walsh, who had stopped to assist, pulling the boy from the burning vehicle. Arran suffered serious injuries and was airlifted to the RVI Hospital in Newcastle, and survived.
A hearing at Cockermouth Coroner's Court heard that Mr Rossa, Ms McEnroe and their children were returning home to Glasgow after a trip to Legoland in Windsor that day. The court was shown dashcam footage in which the Yaris was seen travelling in lane three of the northbound M6 north of Tebay services, when the oncoming headlights of a blue Skoda, driven by Mr Woods, were seen approaching, followed by the collision. Witness reports and an police collision investigation showed that Mr Rossa had attempted to brake and swerve to avoid the collision but 'did not have enough time to react'.
The Skoda's speedometer was 'frozen' at 65mph, but DS Deb Storey of Cumbria Police said its speed could have been higher at the point of impact. Witness statements report seeing Hexham-born Mr Woods driving 'erratically' prior to the collision at 4.02pm. He was 'veering across all three carriageways', and was observed overtaking HGVs and 'braking harshly'.
DS Storey observed that these appeared to be 'the start' of attempts to cause a collision to end his own life. He was then observed to pull onto the hard shoulder, before making a 'deliberate' U-turn. Of events after he made the U-turn, DS Storey said: "He has a choice of three lanes, but he chooses lane three, and drives for 1.1 miles in that lane.
"The evidence is there that he never once moved out of lane three. "There are others who have to significantly swerve, and significant action is needed to avoid a collision, and dashcam shows that Mr Woods did not swerve, he did not try to avoid the collisions. "This is beyond dangerous driving now.
"To turn and drive into the oncoming traffic, and at this point to drive in lane three, and not into any wagons, because wagons are not allowed in lane three, that makes me think he's now not putting himself against those large vehicles, where only he would be harmed, or likely to be harmed. "He's putting himself against cars or vans, where the likelihood of the harm to the people in the other vehicle is significantly high. "He continues doing so, and then he drives into the Toyota, not having braked, and that is deliberately causing that collision.
Despite Ms McEnroe's family asserting that it was 'definitely murder', DS Storey explained that a murder conviction would have needed to show malice, and that there was no evidence of any link between Mr Woods and the victims.
'Unlawful killing'
Assistant Coroner for Cumbria, Margaret Taylor, said postmortem examinations conclude that both Jaroslaw Rossa and Dominic Rossa died from multiple injuries and trauma. Filip Rossa and Ms McEnroe died from smoke inhalation, burns, and trauma. Ms Taylor concluded: "We have heard reference to (Mr Woods') erratic driving, northwards, pulling in front of heavy vehicles, slamming on his brakes.
"Drivers had managed to take evasive action, and at that stage, his actions had not succeeded in his aim. "He then pulls onto the hard shoulder and completes his U-turn, and drives southwards on the northbound carriageway. "His objective remains the same - to end his life.
"But in attempting to achieve this objective, he has totally disregarded the safety of all other drivers on the M6 that day. "He had furthermore moved into the third lane, where it is far more likely that he will collide with another vehicle who would have less opportunity of taking evasive action. "His actions of October 15 certainly in my mind amount to unlawful killing."
'Life changed forever'
A statement from the mother of Filip and Dominic and the ex-wife of Mr Rossa, Kamila, was read out at the inquest in her presence.
She said Mr Rossa, known as Jarek, was born in Poland where they became a couple and went on to have three boys. He loved playing computer games and had 'lots of friends', she said, and worked at the Wagamama restaurant in Silverburn, Glasgow. She said she last saw her sons when they left for their father's house on October 10 for a holiday break and was sent photographs of them by Mr Rossa at Legoland on October 14.
She said she was 'devastated' at the deaths and added: "Our lives will never be the same. "I am heartbroken at the passing of my beloved angels Filip and Dominic." Filip was 'very intelligent', 'very sensitive' and 'full of love' and had an ambition to study chemistry at Glasgow University, she said.
He enjoyed playing Minecraft, and would let Dominic join in with him. She added that Dominic loved Pokemon and dinosaurs and was 'interested in many things in the world around him'. He dreamt of adopting a penguin one day, she said, and was 'always smiling, extremely caring and always thinking of others first'.
Ms McEnroe said her daughter, a spa therapist, had been in a relationship with Mr Rossa for about two-and-a-half years. She said Miss McEnroe was a 'brilliant mother' to her only child, was 'really happy' with Mr Rossa and it was 'lovely chaos' when all the boys were playing together. Ms McEnroe told the inquest that 'life changed forever that day'.
She went on: "I miss Jade every single day. I want to know why? Why them?
"Arran keeps us going every single day."
'I was able to pull him from his seat'
A statement was also read out earlier in the inquest by Mr Walsh, who had stopped to help Arran from the car. He was a passenger in a Transit van travelling to Scotland which was behind the Toyota Yaris at the time of the collision. He said he noticed a blue car travelling 'extremely fast' and heading towards the Yaris which he said 'had no time' to avoid the oncoming vehicle.
Mr Walsh jumped out of the van towards the front of the Yaris which was 'already engulfed in flames'. He said: "I used a jack to smash the rear windscreen and I saw a little boy in the back seat who appeared to be stuck but possibly alive. "I was able to pull him from his seat and took him away from the car.
"The boy was conscious and breathing. "We spoke about football and what school he went to, I was just trying to keep him awake. "We really did try, I can assure everyone we did our best.
We only had minimal time. "I saved a life that day and I hope never to witness anything like that again. "God bless you Arran, I have never stopped thinking about you.
I hope we will meet again one day and I will give you a massive hug."
At an inquest held last week[2] into the death of former RAF fighter pilot Mr Woods, coroner Ms Taylor recorded a conclusion of suicide.
References
- ^ Drunk former RAF fighter pilot caused horror crash, killing himself and four others (www.newsandstar.co.uk)
- ^ an inquest held last week (www.newsandstar.co.uk)