A man has been detained on suspicion of causing death by dangerous driving following a tragic accident in the United Kingdom that claimed the lives of six individuals, including four members of a single family.
Their son characterized the couple, who had recently marked their 25th wedding anniversary, as “a loving, caring mum and dad who always put me before everything else.”
Among the victims were nine-year-old Rubie Morgan-Roller and her four-year-old sister Lillie Morgan-Roller, who perished alongside their parents, Shannen Morgan and Shane Roller, when their car collided with a motorbike.
Christopher and Janine Barton, both riders on the motorcycle, also succumbed to the crash on the A61, located between Barnsley and Wakefield, on Sunday afternoon.
Authorities have issued a call for witnesses who saw a grey Porsche 911 in the vicinity around the time of the incident to step forward.
West Yorkshire Police confirmed the man’s arrest and that he remains in custody.
They also requested that anyone with dashcam, CCTV, or doorbell footage of the Porsche and its manner of driving contact them.
Det Sgt Steven Suggitt stated: “I would like to appeal for anyone who may have seen this grey Porsche 911 being driven on the roads around the south of Wakefield or north of Barnsley to please contact us.”
The collision involved the Bartons’ BMW S100 XR motorbike and the Rollers’ Ford Focus at approximately 15:55 BST.
Mr. Roller, from Barnsley, and his partner had another daughter, aged 11, who was not present at the time of the collision.
Mr. Roller’s father paid tribute on social media, saying his 33-year-old son and daughter-in-law “thought the world of their little family.”
He remarked: “Shane wasn’t just a son but an amazing father and he had a heart of gold.”
“Shannen, our daughter-in-law, was funny and was also an amazing mum and they thought the world of their little family.”
Mr. Barton, 56, and Mrs. Barton, 48, had recently celebrated their 25th wedding anniversary.
Their son issued a tribute via the police, describing the couple, who resided in Barnsley, as “a loving, caring mum and dad who always put me before everything else.”
Clare Storr and Kirsty Wordsworth, co-head teachers of Athersley North Primary School, where Rubie and Lillie were students, described the girls as “a delight to teach.”
“The girls were a credit to their parents, who were always incredibly supportive and who will also be greatly missed,” they said.
A GoFundMe campaign initiated by family friend Paul Hepple has raised over £340,000 for Ms. Morgan and her partner’s surviving daughter.
Mr. Hepple noted that the young girl had “lost her whole world in an instant,” and the contributions would “ensure she has a stable, loving environment where she can heal and grow.”
Earlier, a special service was held at St Helen’s Church in Athersley to allow the community to pay their respects to the deceased.
