Weather
A127 smash woman named (From Brentwood Weekly News)
Get involved: send your pictures, video, news and views by texting BWNNEWS to 80360 or email us »
A127 smash woman named
8:10am Thursday 2nd July 2009
A WOMAN who died in a horror smash on the A127 has been named.
Michelle Williams, 37-year-old, was visiting relatives in Wickford and was travelling back to her home in North Wales when the crash happened early yesterday morning.
Her red Renault Megane struck the rear of a stationery lorry and caused traffic chaos.
The Polish lorry was parked in a layby on the carriageway between the A128 Brentwood and B186 Warley junctions.
Ms Williams suffered numerous injuries and was pronounced dead at the scene.
Her three–year–old daughter was rushed to Basildon Hospital and has since been transferred to London’s Great Ormond Street hospital.
She remains in a critical, but stable condition.
The lorry driver was asleep in his cab and was uninjured.
The carriageway was closed between both junctions while police crash investigators combed the scene for clues.
The road closure saw motorists queuing back as far as Basildon as police diverted traffic off of the A127 at the A128 Brentwood junction.
One woman, a 28-year-old from Brentwood heading for work in Basildon, said: “I got caught up in it all, even though I was travelling on the opposite side of the road as everyone was stopping to rubberneck.
“The wreckage of the crash looked absolutely awful.
“It looked like the car had hit the corner of the lorry, which was embedded in the driver’s side of the windscreen. It’s unbelievable that anyone could have survived that crash, let alone a child.”
One lane of the carriageway re-opened at 8.30am, but the A127 did not fully reopen until around 11am.
Witnesses to the crash, which happened at 4.30am, can contact investigating officers at the Laindon Road Policing Unit on 0300 3334444 or Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555111.
More News stories
Your Say YourBrentwood
Basildondude, basildon says...
3:18pm Wed 1 Jul 09
alisha edwards, hullbridge says...
3:55pm Wed 1 Jul 09
perini, Leigh on Sea says...
10:25pm Wed 1 Jul 09
Basildondude wrote:And although it's a tragedy - lives will continue to be lost if people are not aware of what is going on around them and hit stationary objects like lorries!
Another loss on the A127 R.I.P
echoreader1, London says...
9:08am Thu 2 Jul 09
I read somewhere that most accidents happen within 5miles of your home? this seems to be the case here...
RJD_Wiz, Basildon says...
9:12am Thu 2 Jul 09
echoreader1 wrote:5 Miles? She lived in North Wales !!!!
what a tragedgy, i hope the little girl recovers fully x I read somewhere that most accidents happen within 5miles of your home? this seems to be the case here...
RJD_Wiz, Basildon says...
9:14am Thu 2 Jul 09
My thoughts & prayers for all of them.
echoreader1, London says...
9:44am Thu 2 Jul 09
RJD_Wiz wrote:hadn't she been to visit family in Wickford?
echoreader1 wrote: what a tragedgy, i hope the little girl recovers fully x I read somewhere that most accidents happen within 5miles of your home? this seems to be the case here...5 Miles? She lived in North Wales !!!!
ST 1, says...
12:42pm Thu 2 Jul 09
I know lorry drivers are under strict rules regarding time spent driving, couldn't we provide some dedicated rest spots for these HGVs and get them off of the roadsides?
RJD_Wiz, Basildon says...
1:06pm Thu 2 Jul 09
echoreader1 wrote:Yes, but she lived in Wales hence being on the road so early to get home...I presume...
RJD_Wiz wrote:hadn't she been to visit family in Wickford?echoreader1 wrote: what a tragedgy, i hope the little girl recovers fully x I read somewhere that most accidents happen within 5miles of your home? this seems to be the case here...5 Miles? She lived in North Wales !!!!
Time, South of the river says...
1:22pm Thu 2 Jul 09
ST 1 wrote:Yes its what laybys are for. LAYBY'S L.A.Y.B.Y'S. There are very few services on the A127, which is why there are LAYBY'S to stop in.
I know it may not have made any difference in this tragic case, but I have noticed the lay-bys on the A127 are often full of lorries that are parked up for the night. Often they are so full that a car would not be able to pull into one in an emergency, as there is not enough braking and accelerating room left.
I know lorry drivers are under strict rules regarding time spent driving, couldn't we provide some dedicated rest spots for these HGVs and get them off of the roadsides?
RIP madam, I hope the baby makes it, driving at 70mph and lossing control is never wise, I hope the Police are able to find the cause and give closure to the Loved ones!
maureen, shoeburyness says...
4:11pm Thu 2 Jul 09
RJD_Wiz, Basildon says...
4:15pm Thu 2 Jul 09
soul man, canvey says...
6:01pm Thu 2 Jul 09
angleseylad, Benllech says...
6:28pm Thu 2 Jul 09
grays woman, grays says...
7:46am Fri 3 Jul 09
Mr.Westham., Laindon says...
4:13pm Fri 3 Jul 09
My thoughts go out to the little girl & Family also suffering such a devastating loss, a parent/wife....
Perhaps there should be more provision for lorries to park elsewhere & not actually on main arteries like the A127, when a driver needs to camp to get some sleep...
Laybys would then be free for other short term usage or emergencies...
There are lorry parks around...
Lets face it, Cars and heavy tonka Lorries are never a good mix...
perini, Leigh on Sea says...
11:05pm Fri 3 Jul 09
Mr.Westham. wrote:Mr Westham, The lorry driver had done everything right - felt tired/out of hours - whatever - and had pulled into a layby, No sooner than he got akip his rest was spoilt by someone taking their eyes off the road ( how else do you hit a stationary object) and trashing his vehicle? Where should the driver have gone? People need to take responsibility for their own actions - and unfortunately this is the result of a concentration lapse.
I feel extremely saddened by this loss of life & childs severe injuries... My thoughts go out to the little girl & Family also suffering such a devastating loss, a parent/wife.... Perhaps there should be more provision for lorries to park elsewhere & not actually on main arteries like the A127, when a driver needs to camp to get some sleep... Laybys would then be free for other short term usage or emergencies... There are lorry parks around... Lets face it, Cars and heavy tonka Lorries are never a good mix...
RGB, Basildon says...
1:30pm Sun 5 Jul 09
I think large vehicles should all be required to have CLEAN reflectors on the back and sides/parking light of the vehicle so that cars can easily see what is parked there.
Little Susie, Southend-on-Sea says...
2:33pm Wed 1 Jul 09