An inquest into the deaths of a family of three who perished in a horrific motorway crash has concluded, with a coroner unable to determine why the vehicle was being driven at high speeds before leaving the carriageway.
Andrew Moore, 46, his partner Swala Harling, 47, and their 14-year-old son, Sebastian Moore, were killed on May 30 last year when their BMW crashed on the M5 in South Gloucestershire. The family, from Chesterfield, Derbyshire, were pronounced dead at the scene after their vehicle left the northbound carriageway, struck a crash barrier, and plunged down an embankment into a wooded area.
During the inquest at Avon Coroner’s Court, eyewitnesses described a scene of chaos as the BMW traveled at high velocity. Multiple motorists testified that the car was seen undertaking in the hard shoulder at speeds estimated between 100mph and 140mph. One witness noted the car had its hazard lights illuminated, while others described seeing it swerve erratically, suggesting the driver was “over-compensating” to keep the vehicle under control.
Lorry driver Peter Bakowsky described hearing tyres screeching before the car collided with the barriers, while another witness, Jurgens Terblanche, recounted seeing the vehicle go “airborne” toward trees off the motorway.
Area coroner Dr. Peter Harrowing heard evidence regarding Mr. Moore’s medical history, which included epilepsy, a pacemaker, and an aortic valve replacement. However, expert examinations of the driver’s heart and brain, combined with negative toxicology results for drugs and alcohol, provided no evidence that a medical episode had occurred at the time of the crash. Collision investigators were also unable to rule on whether a mechanical failure had contributed to the incident due to the severe damage the vehicle sustained.
“It is not for me to answer a question of why,” Dr. Harrowing stated. “There is insufficient evidence before me to indicate that this was a deliberate act on the part of Mr. Moore in driving the vehicle in the manner in which he had driven. It has not been possible to identify whether there were any mechanical defects.”
The coroner concluded that there was insufficient evidence to determine the cause of the erratic driving, noting that while a medical episode remained a possibility, it could not be proven.
Post-mortem examinations confirmed that Mr. Moore and Ms. Harling died of multiple injuries, while Sebastian died from head injuries. Dr. Harrowing recorded the deaths as being the result of a road traffic collision.
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