Lorry driver remanded over M1 crash that left 8 dead

A lorry driver facing 20 charges over a motorway horror crash that left eight people dead has appeared in court.

Eight people died after a motorway crash involving two lorries and a minibus on the southbound carriageway of the M1 near Newport Pagnell. Picture: @ItsOllieYT/PA Wire

Ryszard Masierak, 31, is accused of being over the alcohol limit when his truck was involved in the smash on the M1 in Buckinghamshire early on Saturday.

Six men and two women in a Ford Transit minibus died after it was involved in a collision with the Polish driver’s Skania and a second lorry, shortly before 3.15am on the southbound carriageway near Newport Pagnell.

Three passengers, including a five-year-old girl, were left fighting for their lives, and a fourth suffered minor injuries in the crash between junctions 15 and 14.

Eight people died after a motorway crash involving two lorries and a minibus on the southbound carriageway of the M1 near Newport Pagnell. Picture: @ItsOllieYT/PA Wire

Masierak appeared at High Wycombe Magistrates’ Court on Monday.

With short, cropped brown hair and stubble, and wearing a grey custody tracksuit he listened intently to proceedings via a Polish interpreter as the charges were read out.

He faces eight counts of causing death by dangerous driving, four counts of causing serious injury by dangerous driving and eight counts of causing death by careless driving while over the prescribed alcohol limit.

The court heard that he is accused of having 55mg of alcohol per 100ml of blood. The legal driving limit is 35mg.

Eight people died after a motorway crash involving two lorries and a minibus on the southbound carriageway of the M1 near Newport Pagnell. Picture: @ItsOllieYT/PA Wire

Masierak, of Evesham, Worcestershire, made no application for bail and did not indicate how he would plead to the charges.

He was remanded in custody to appear next at Aylesbury Crown Court on September 26.