Crash Driver 'Had Done U-Turn On Motorway'

A driver, who caused a fatal car crash on the M1 motorway in Bedfordshire, was travelling in the wrong direction after doing a U-turn near roadworks, an inquest has heard.

Mariusz Marcin Adamski, 24, a lorry driver from Leicester, was travelling in his VW Passsat, and performed the manoeuvre as he got to roadworks, Bedford Coroner's Court heard.

He continued to drive north, away from junction 10, along the southbound carriageway. Moments later, his vehicle, which was travelling at around 70mph, hit a Jaguar containing four members of the same family.

The court heard both cars had been travelling at around the same speed when the crash occurred on Saturday night.

Mr Adamski was confirmed dead at the scene, along with Jaguar driver Lakhdip Nagra, 27, his sister Navjit Nagra, 28, their mother Inderjit Nagra, 48, and a relative Chain Singh, 66.

The Nagra's all lived at the same address in Bexleyheath, Kent, while Mr Singh lived in Pur, in Nawanshar, India, and it is understood he was the siblings' uncle.

Mr Adamski, a UK resident for two or three years, leaves a wife and child in Poland.

"Preliminary inquiries show that the deceased, Mariusz Adamski, was driving a Volkswagen Passat northbound on the southbound carriageway," Acting Insp Colin Bonner said.

"He travelled towards junction 10 where there are roadworks. Prior to those roadworks it appears he made a U-turn and travelled north. Near junction 11 there was a collision with a Jaguar.

"It was a head-on collision, resulting in the deaths of all occupants of both vehicles."

Post mortem examinations showed all five in the collision died from multiple injuries, and police are awaiting the results of toxicology tests.

(JM/BMcC)