Drunk driver speeds down M4 the WRONG way

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Benjamin Teague, 26’s BMW hit a Volkswagen ID4 on the A5 between Potterspury and Paulerspury, in Northamptonshire, on August 2, killing passenger Annabelle Lovell, 18. Emergency services were unable to save the pair. The inquest into Ms Lovell’s death heard that Mr Teague had been drinking and smoking cannabis when the crash that claimed their lives happened.

They died less than two years after Mr Teague’s son Logan was born 11 weeks early on September 30, 2019 weighing just 1lb 8oz, making him one of the smallest babies in the UK.

He was tinier than his teddy bear at birth, and doctors placed him into a sandwich bag to keep him warm.

After nine weeks in hospital, Logan managed to be well enough to be allowed home with his family.

At the inquest at Northampton’s Guildhall, witnesses said Mr Teague was executing “highly dangerous manoeuvres” shortly before the crash, and overtook a van and a lorry at 100mph, before trying to overtake a row of three cars while on the wrong side of the road. 

According to a post-mortem report, Mr Teague had a reading of 80mg of alcohol per 100ml of blood as well as 93.5mg of cannabis per 100 millilitres of blood – 46 times more than the drug-drive limit.

Miss Lovell’s family paid tribute to their “angel” daughter in a statement read to the inquest and blasted the actions of a “selfish and dangerous driver”.

They said: “Annabelle had four siblings who she got on well with, very well.

“Annabelle was very close to her dad, they could talk about anything and everything. Annabelle loved her dad dearly, and she still does. We adored her.

“We will never see Annabelle get married or have children, because that has been taken away from us because of a selfish, dangerous driver.

“Take care my angel.”

John Underwood, forensic crash investigator from Northamptonshire Police, said: “The impact occurred while the BMW was on the incorrect side of the carriageway.

“This collision occurred as a result of an error on the BMW’s part.

“Alcohol and drugs were a major contributory factor and the driving and speeding.”

The driver of the Volkswagen involved in the crash Jonathan Millidge, who had suffered a fractured spine and other serious injuries, said at the inquest that he had “absolutely no time to react” when Mr Teague sped towards him, colliding with his car at 87 mph.

He told the inquest: “The car just suddenly came out, all the way out over the white lines. I had absolutely no time to react.

“People say their life flashes before them in situations like this but there was not even time for that.

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“I do not believe I could have done anything to avoid the collision.

“If I had not been there they would still be alive. They were just two young people. They didn’t deserve that.”

Northamptonshire senior coroner Anne Pember said: “The driver of the BMW overtook the vehicle while travelling in excess of the speed limit.

“The driver at the time had a significant amount of alcohol and cannabis.

“Tragically, Annabelle was confirmed dead at the scene.”

He concluded: “Mr Millidge, there was nothing you could have done to avoid this tragedy.”

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