A truck driver has been convicted of causing the death of a teenager who was about to begin her career as a British Airways air stewardess. Chloe Williams, 19, was a passenger in a car that was struck from behind by a delivery truck on the M6 motorway in Cheshire in December 2022.
Daniel Barlow, 30, the driver of the truck, pleaded not guilty but was found guilty of causing death by dangerous driving and two counts of causing serious injury by dangerous driving after a three-day trial at Chester Crown Court. He is scheduled to be sentenced on September 25.
The collision occurred when Barlow, driving a white DAF truck, failed to react to traffic slowing ahead of him on the northbound carriageway between junctions 16 and 17. Tests showed Barlow was traveling at 55 mph and had a clear view of the traffic, but only reacted half a second before the crash.
Williams and two friends, all from Birmingham, were traveling to a concert in Manchester when the accident happened shortly after 5 p.m. on December 2, 2022. Williams suffered fatal injuries and died later in the hospital. Her friends sustained serious, life-changing injuries, including broken legs, a fractured skull, memory loss, and long-lasting pain.
Following the verdict, Inspector Andrew Dennison of Cheshire Police's Serious Collision Investigation Unit stated that Williams's death was preventable and attributed it to Barlow's lack of concentration. "Our investigation showed that Chloe’s death was entirely preventable, Barlow had ample time to react and slow down," Dennison said. "However, he was clearly not concentrating on his driving, and his vehicle became a deadly weapon."
Williams's family described her loss as tragic, noting that she was on the verge of starting her 'dream career'. "We have lost our beautiful girl in the most tragic way. She was about to start her dream career and has now had all that taken away," the family said in a statement. The court heard that the driver of the car Williams was in and the other passenger suffered injuries that have had lasting impacts.
Barlow, from Whitworth, Lancashire, was arrested and questioned by police but could not provide an explanation for his actions. The case highlights the critical importance of driver attention on the roads, as emphasized by Inspector Dennison: "This case demonstrates the importance of ensuring that all road users pay full attention when driving on our roads, as just one lapse really can mean the difference between life and death."