‘I’ve just killed someone’ as truck crushes car in horror M62 crash

A driver who was found to have cocaine in his system was caught on dashcam claiming 'I've just killed someone' after his HGV smashed into a car on the M62. Waynes Burgess was distracted when his truck collided into the back of a car and crushed a pensioner near Birch Services. Minshull Street Crown Court [1] heard it was a miracle the 70-year-old grandma-of-two managed to survive her injuries after the horrific M62 [2] crash on May 2 last year.

Burgess, 61, could be heard speaking on a hands-free call, reciting a postcode in Salford while appearing to enter the digits into a sat nav when his truck smashed into the victim, reports The Manchester Evening News.[3] Her car then became lodged underneath Burgess' truck as well as another lorry in front. She was left trapped inside for a 'significant' period of time before being cut free from the wreckage by firefighters and taken to the major trauma unit at Salford Royal.

There she was treated for a fractured eye socket, two broken ribs, numerous cuts and other injuries. The court heard the crash left her with 'severe facial disfigurement'. Amy Weir, prosecuting, told the court the woman was travelling home from work in the inside lane of the M62 when she began slowing down to heavy traffic.

She then looked in her rear view mirror and saw a lorry 'hurtling' towards her. In a victim impact statement read out in court the woman said she instantly knew it was going to hit her. Describing the 'devastating' moment of the crash., she said: "The horror that was inevitable hit me in an instant.

"It seemed like he was trying to kill me. The noise was deafening and when everything went still the silence was eerie. I was helpless, crushed between two lorries and convinced I wasn't going to survive."

Since the crash she has been unable to work or help look after her grandchildren, she told the court, adding: "This accident didn't just cause physical injuries it upended every aspect of my life. The trauma continues to affect all of us." Hayley Parkes, defending, said Burgess took 'full acknowledgement of the seriousness of the offence and the severity on the victim'.

She told the court Burgess had long-standing substance abuse issues and at the time was using cocaine to 'self-medicate' his as then undiagnosed ADHD. He has since undergone a detoxification programme. She added: "He struggles to put into words how he feels about what happened that day and how he feels about the victim's suffering."

Recorder Katie Jones said the victim had 'endured a terrible ordeal' and it was a 'extremely lucky' she wasn't killed. She added: "The terror was indescribable. She thought she was going to die."

Burgess, of Holme Bank, Rossendale [4], pleaded guilty to causing serious injury through dangerous driving and driving while over the specified limit.

He was given a 17-month prison sentence, suspended for two years, banned from driving for 10 years, 300 hours unpaid work and 15 days rehabilitation and ordered to complete a 12-month rehabilitation requirement.

References

^ Court (www.examinerlive.co.uk)
^ M62 (www.examinerlive.co.uk)
^ reports The Manchester Evening News. (www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk)
^ Rossendale (www.lancs.live)