A ‘beautiful’ teenager due to start her ‘dream career’ as a British Airways stewardess was killed when a distracted truck driver ploughed into the back of a car on a motorway.
Chloe Williams, 19, was on her way to a concert with two friends when Daniel Barlow, 30, smashed into their VW Polo while going 55mph on the M6 in Cheshire.
The delivery driver failed to react when the Polo ahead of him stopped in heavy traffic on the northbound carriageway at Sandbach.
Chloe, who was a passenger, and her two male friends all suffered serious injuries. Her friends survived but Chloe died later in hospital.
The trio from Birmingham had been on their way to a concert in Manchester when the accident happened just after 5pm on December 2, 2022.
Barlow had been travelling at 55mph in the large delivery lorry along the carriageway and failed to react until half a second before the collision despite having a clear view of the traffic ahead, it was found.
He was arrested and questioned by police but could not explain his actions.
Following a three-day trial at Chester Crown Court, Barlow, of Whitworth, Lancashire, was found guilty of causing a death by dangerous driving and two counts of causing serious injury by dangerous driving. He is due to be sentenced on September 25.
Chloe Williams, 19, was killed in the crash, in December 2022. She was due to start her ‘dream career’ as a British Airways stewardess at the time
Following the verdict, Inspector Andrew Dennison, of Cheshire Police’s serious collision investigation unit, said: ‘Chloe was a bright young woman who was just about to embark on her dream career with British Airways, but her life was cut short because of the actions of Barlow.
‘Our investigation showed that Chloe’s death was entirely preventable, Barlow had ample time to react and slow down.
‘However, he was clearly not concentrating on his driving, and his vehicle became a deadly weapon.
‘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.
In a statement following her death, Chloe’s devastated family said: ‘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 court heard the male driver of the Polo and the other passenger suffered life-changing injuries, including broken legs and a fractured skull, which have led to memory loss and long-lasting pain.
