BMW driver seen 'overtaking recklessly' before Derbyshire horror crash in which two women died

Cleaners Margaret Collier, 59, and Caroline Ball, 63, both of Beighton, died at the scene of a horror crash on the A6135 Station Road between Eckington and Renishaw on Wednesday, October 7.

An inquest into their deaths, held at Chesterfield Coroner’s Court today, Friday, October 16, heard how they had been travelling in a Vauxhall Corsa and were heading towards the M1 when the crash happened at about 5.35am that morning.

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Opening the inquest, Peter Nieto, the area coroner for Derby and Derbyshire, read a statement provided by DC Scott Cooper, of Derbyshire Constabulary’s serious collision investigation unit.

"Margaret Collier and Caroline Ball were both going to work in Chesterfield and whilst they were driving along Station Road a BMW vehicle was travelling in the opposite direction,” he said.

"Witnesses travelling in the same direction as the BMW described the vehicle as overtaking several vehicles at once and recklessly on a blind bend.

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"It was then driven head on into the oncoming vehicle. Witnesses described it as travelling at approximately 50mph.

"The impact has pushed the Corsa off the carriageway and through bushes at the side of the road. It’s also caused the engine to become detached from the Corsa.

"Emergency services attended the scene but due to the severity of the injuries both Margaret Collier and Caroline Ball were declared dead at the scene.

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"The driver of the BMW was arrested on suspicion of causing death by dangerous driving and being over the prescribed limit in relation to an illicit drugs test.”

Mr Nieto said post mortems for the two victims gave the initial cause of death for Ms Collier as a neck injury and for Ms Ball as chest injuries.

He adjourned the inquest until January 15, 2021.

Touching tributes were left at the roadside following the tragedy, with one message from Ms Collier’s husband Raymond reading: “To my darling wife you will be surely missed. Love you always.”