A mum-of-four stranded in a broken down car on the motorway was killed by a lorry driver after a recovery company refused to rescue her.
John Bowers, 35, was driving a skip lorry on the M60 anticlockwise carriageway when he failed to spot a Kia Ceed was stationary with its hazard lights flashing on the hatch marked area separating lane one of the motorway from the slip road at junction 20.
Shirley-Ann Dumbuya, 38, was unable to move her car and was essentially ‘trapped’ inside.
She had been advised by insurance company Green Flag - known for its motto ‘‘Common Sense to the Rescue’’ - that they could not go out to assist unless she was on the hard shoulder.
After a few minutes, Bowers, of Preston, collided with the Kia, the Manchester Evening News reports.
Emergency services arrived a short time later and Mrs Dumbuya was cut from her vehicle, but despite the efforts of medical staff, she was sadly declared dead at the scene
Judge Anthony Cross condemned the insurance provider and called for an enquiry by the Assistant Chief Constable in Greater Manchester to look into what should happen if the situation arises again.
“Green Flag should take it upon themselves to ring 999 to help the person who was obviously panicking, wondering whether to stay or get out of the vehicle, and worrying about the other cars on the motorway. This was an accident waiting to happen,” he said.
After eventually pleading guilty to causing death by careless driving, Bowers was yesterday handed a suspended sentence at Manchester Crown Court.
Prosecuting, Mark Kellet, said that on January 21 2021, Mrs Dumbuya left home at around 8.35am in her Kia Ceed, which was said to be in ‘good working order’. At 8.42am, her husband Peniel Dumbuya received a call from his wife in which she told him the car had stopped on the motorway.
He told her to put her emergency lights on and get out of the car if she could whilst he called Green Flag. They told him they could not attend to assist ‘unless the vehicle was on the hard shoulder or off the motorway’.
Mr Dumbuya tried to call his wife but couldn’t get an answer, so decided to drive her route in the hope of finding and helping her.
“As he approached junction 20, he could see a silver car on a grass verge and emergency vehicles,” Mr Kellet said. “His wife had been in a fatal incident.”