Man pleads guilty after fatal crash on M25 in Waltham Abbey
Ethan Burdett, 67, of Ipswich Haven Marina in Ipswich, appeared at the Chelmsford Crown Court on Tuesday (April 16) where he admitted to the crime that was reportedly caused by careless driving. The incident happened on August 23 in 2021 when the Roads policing officers were called to M25 in Waltham Abbey shortly after 6.15pm. Officers were informed that a lorry had rammed into the rear of a minibus.
When they arrived, they saw that both the vehicles were substantially damaged. Eleven passengers were said to be returning to London following a day trip to Southend on the minibus. Four of these were gravely injured and three others, including the driver, had sustained minor injuries.
31-year-old Abigael Muamba of Edmonton Green, 60-year-old Dexter Augustus of Waltham Forest, and 59-year-old Jennifer Smith of Stratford, all died in the crash. Abigael Muamba of Edmonton Green (Image: Essex Police) Lisa Gardiner, 44, of Walthamstow also later succumbed to her injuries and died.
Lisa Gardiner of Walthamstow (Image: Essex Police)Following the incident, the anti-clockwise section of the M25 was closed for roughly 11-and-a-half-hours. A probe was launched by Essex Police's Serious Collision Investigation Unit that established that Burdett was travelling between junction 27 to 26.
Dexter Augustus of Waltham Forest (Image: Essex Police)Officers found that as he approached the exit slip road to junction 26, he did not stop when the traffic was held in lane one and crashed into the back of the minibus which was jolted forward striking a car.
Following his conviction, Burdett will be sentenced at Chelmsford Crown Court on Thursday (July 4).
Jennifer Smith of Stratford (Image: Essex Police)Roads Policing officer Detective Inspector Mark Fraser, who led the investigation, offered his condolences to the victims' families.
He said: "My thoughts, and those of all my officers who have been involved in the investigation, continue to be with the families and friends who lost their loved ones that evening."
References
- ^ (www.guardian-series.co.uk)
- ^ Man charged after four people die in M25 lorry crash (www.guardian-series.co.uk)