Overview
- West Yorkshire Police charged 50-year-old Christopher Cockell with six counts of causing death by dangerous driving and summonsed him to appear at Leeds Magistrates' Court on October 28.
- The crash on July 21, 2024, on the single-carriageway A61 between Staincross and Newmillerdam killed a family of four in a Ford Focus and a married couple riding a motorcycle, leaving their eldest daughter, then 11, as the only immediate survivor.
- An inquest at Wakefield Coroner’s Court found the motorcycle was overtaking when a head-on impact occurred, the car spun to the verge, caught fire and rescuers could not free the trapped occupants.
- A fundraising page was set up to support the surviving daughter but outlets report different totals for money raised, with some coverage citing about £41,000 and others reporting figures above £400,000.
- The Major Collision Enquiry Team led the probe and continues to appeal for witnesses and dashcam footage; reporting also notes an earlier, separate allegation that the charged man failed to stop at the scene which remains part of ongoing coverage.