Halesowen News
Halesowen lorry crash driver may have dozed off
10:50am Wednesday 22nd February 2012
A LORRY driver who was killed when his vehicle crashed into a bridge on the M5 at Halesowen may have fallen asleep at the wheel, an inquest was told.
Peter Morrison, aged 59, from Ellesmere Port, Cheshire, is thought to have died as a result of the impact before his Volvo HGV burst into flames in the early hours of July 26 last year.
Black Country coroner Robin Balmain said there was no evidence to explain what happened, but it was likely that he either fell asleep or suffered a medical emergency while driving.
The cause of death was consistent with a road crash and burning and Mr Balmain recorded a verdict of death due to a road traffic collision.
The motorway was shut for hours after the lorry hit the Carters Lane bridge at junction three, and it took several weeks to repair a large crack in the bridge support.
Mr Morrison’s partner Jennifer Davies, told the inquest at Smethwick on Monday said he was an experienced driver who worked for an agency.
She said he would normally sleep for a couple of hours before embarking on a late-night drive, but had only received the call to drive to the West Midlands late in the day.
He set off at about 7pm and phoned her at 11.40pm to say he would be home by 5am.
A tracking device showed he had been travelling at around 53mph prior to the crash.