Man killed in ‘unavoidable’ M60 HGV crash ‘sacrificed his life to save the woman he loved’
David Lalgee's car was hit by the HGV after it crashed through a metal central reservation barrier into oncoming traffic
18:47, 13 Nov 2025
View 3 ImagesMr Lalgee and his wife, Jo(Image: GoFundMe/family handout)A selfless and much-loved church pastor died after his car was hit by a HGV after a tyre blowout on the M60[1].
The HGV suffered an 'uncontrollable sway' to the right as a result and 'slewed' across clockwise carriageways of the motorway near Swinton[2], Salford[3], before crashing through a metal central reservation barrier into oncoming traffic.
An inquest heard it hit an electric BMW id5 being driven by David Lalgee, 64. His wife, Jo, was a passenger.
Mr Lalgee, a grandfather-of-nine, suffered 'catastrophic and unsurvivable' injuries and died later in hospital despite the best efforts of medics.
In a statement released through police after the tragedy, his family said he saved his wife's life by swerving as he saw the lorry approach, taking the brunt of the impact himself.
Join the Manchester Evening News WhatsApp group HERE[4]
"In his final moments, David did what he had always done - he put others before himself," they said. "With incredible bravery, he protected his wife, Jo, placing himself between her and the oncoming lorry that had crossed the central reservation. He took the full impact, sacrificing his life to save the woman he loved."
A coroner said 'no criminal act' occurred 'on the part of driving standards'.
The collision in March was said to have been 'entirely unavoidable' due to the driver's side tyre blowout.
Witnesses likened the sound it made to a bomb going off, the inquest into his death at Bolton[5] Coroner's Court heard on Thursday.
View 3 ImagesHis family said he saved the woman he loved(Image: GoFundMe/family handout)The Volvo tractor unit with a full trailer was being driven by Tracy Carradice back to Morecambe from Immingham, near Lincolnshire.
No faults were found on the tyre or wheel before the collision, the inquest heard. The HGV had also passed a service the day before and police said after an investigation that 'no evidence of pre-existing mechanical defects' were found
Detective Sergeant Matthew Waggett, from Greater Manchester Police's Serious Collision Investigation Unit, said the actions of Ms Carradice were 'in no way contributory' to what happened. He said the collision was the result of a 'chain of events' caused by the tyre's failure and the subsequent 'uncontrollable response' of the HGV.
The loss of control, the detective added, was 'irrecoverable' and the HGV ended up in a field.
A police forensic collision investigator also found 'nothing that could be attributed to the blowout', like a bulge in the tyre, a nail or a 'foreign object', the inquest heard.
As a result, it's not known why the tyre failed.
Giving evidence Ms Carradice, an experienced HGV driver, said it was a regular route she had driven 'everyday for eight years'.
View 3 ImagesThe anti-clockwise M60 at Swinton(Image: Manchester Evening News)She told of hearing a 'big bang' and said the wagon 'violently dropped' to the right. "I was stood on the brake and I was fighting the steering wheel trying to keep it straight," she said, adding that she replays the collision in her mind everyday. Ms Carradice said there was nothing she could have done or should have done differently.
Mr Lalgee, who was born in Scunthorpe, lived with his wife Jo in Mossley, Tameside[6]. The inquest heard they were planning to move to live in Blackpool and were driving home from the town at the time.
Mr Lalgee, a former police officer who was also a qualified nurse, was the pastor of Church Alive, an evangelical church in Blackpool.
His family described him as 'a pillar of love and support to so many'.
In a statement at the inquest, his wife Jo said he was 'charismatic, loving and giving', someone she said who 'devoted his time to others'. "His passing was a huge loss to many people," she said.
A medical cause of death was given as 'multiple traumatic injuries consistent with a road traffic collision'.
Coroner Michael Pemberton said he had been 'personally touched' by the tragedy as he had travelled the same route just 20 minutes earlier and heard about the collision later.
Addressing the family after recording a conclusion that Mr Lalgee died as a result of a road traffic collision, he said: "This is an absolutely tragic case and the loss of David will be felt forever more.
It is clear that he was a dearly-loved father, grandfather and husband who had made a major contribution to society."
Article continues belowHe said there was 'no realistic explanation that can be offered in terms of why this has happened'. "It is entirely possible that there was something on the road that the tyre was exposed to, but that was never found," Mr Pemberton added.