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The tragic death of David Lalgee, a beloved 64-year-old church pastor and former police officer, in a March collision on the M60 motorway near Swinton, Salford, has been revealed as an ultimate act of love and heroism. Mr. Lalgee, a charismatic grandfather of nine, was driving home to Mossley, Tameside, with his wife Jo when their vehicle was struck by a heavy goods vehicle (HGV). His family has since shared the incredibly moving detail that in his final, critical moments, David sacrificed his own life by swerving his car to take the full, fatal impact of the oncoming lorry, ensuring his wife's survival.
Unavoidable Catastrophe: The Tyre Blowout
The fatal incident, which tragically ended the life of the much-loved man who was planning a move to Blackpool to serve an evangelical church there, was deemed an unavoidable accident by the coroner. An inquest at Bolton Coroner’s Court heard harrowing evidence detailing the mechanics of the collision. The HGV, a Volvo tractor unit with a full trailer being driven by experienced driver Tracy Carradice, suffered a sudden and catastrophic tyre blowout. The heavy vehicle then experienced an “uncontrollable sway,” causing it to violently drop to the right, “slewing” across the clockwise lanes of the motorway. Crucially, the inquest confirmed that the HGV then crashed through the metal central reservation barrier into the oncoming anti-clockwise traffic, directly into the path of the vehicle driven by Mr. Lalgee.
Inquest Clears Driver of Wrongdoing
The inquest, presided over by Coroner Michael Pemberton, heard testimony from Ms. Carradice, who was returning to Morecambe from Immingham. She described hearing a “big bang” and testified that she was "fighting the steering wheel" and "stood on the brake," asserting there was nothing she could have done differently to prevent the horrifying sequence of events. Supporting this, a police forensic collision investigator confirmed that no criminal act or issue with driving standards contributed to the crash. Furthermore, investigators could not find any pre-existing factor like a nail, foreign object, or bulge that could explain the sudden tyre failure, leading to the conclusion that the cause of the blowout remains unknown.
A Hero's Legacy and Heartfelt Tribute
Despite the collision being entirely unavoidable from the perspective of the HGV driver, Mr. Lalgee's response was a split-second decision of staggering bravery. In a powerful statement released through police following the March incident, his family honoured his final act: “In his final moments, David did what he had always done – he put others before himself. With incredible bravery, he protected his wife, Jo, placing himself between her and the oncoming lorry... He took the full impact, sacrificing his life to save the woman he loved.”
The coroner recorded a conclusion that Mr. Lalgee died as a result of a road traffic collision, with the medical cause of death cited as “multiple traumatic injuries consistent with a road traffic collision.” Addressing the family, who described David as a “pillar of love and support to so many,” Coroner Pemberton acknowledged the profound loss, stating, “This is an absolutely tragic case and the loss of David will be felt forever more. It is clear that he was a dearly loved father, grandfather and husband who had made a major contribution to society.” His wife, Jo Lalgee, echoed the sentiment in a statement read to the inquest, describing her husband as “charismatic, loving and giving,” underscoring that his passing is a huge loss to many people.
