Man charged after July crash on A61 between Barnsley and Wakefield
A 50-year-old man has been charged with six counts of causing death by dangerous driving following a collision on the A61 between Barnsley and Wakefield on 21 July 2024 that killed six people, including two children.
The charged man, Christopher Cockell, 50, is due to appear at Leeds Magistrates' Court in October, police said. The prosecution follows an inquest and investigations into the collision, which occurred near Staincross and Newmillerdam shortly before 15:50 BST.
What happened at the scene
Coroner's court evidence described a head-on collision between a silver Ford Focus and a BMW motorcycle. The motorcycle was reported to be overtaking another vehicle on the single-carriageway road, which has a 50mph speed limit. The force of the impact caused the car to spin and catch fire.
- All six occupants of the car and motorcycle died at the scene, the coroner's court heard.
- The pathologist's provisional findings attributed the motorcycle rider's death to head and chest injuries.
- The motorcyclist's passenger was thrown from the vehicle and suffered fatal chest injuries.
Paramedics pronounced all four occupants of the car dead at the scene, the coroner's support officer Phil Marr told the hearing.
"Shane wasn't just a son but an amazing father and he had a heart of gold,"
The victims included a family from Athersley, Barnsley: Shannen Morgan and her partner Shane Roller, along with two of their daughters, Rubie, nine, and Lillie, four. Also killed were husband and wife Christopher and Janine Barton from Barnsley, who were travelling on the motorcycle.
Impact on the Barnsley community
The scale of the loss has reverberated through the local area. An online fundraiser set up after the crash raised more than £400,000 to support the surviving family member — the Rollers' 11-year-old daughter — who was not in the car at the time.
Tributes posted on social media by family and friends painted a picture of the couple as devoted parents and well-known local residents. The partial family statement quoted above came from Mr Roller’s father, who described the couple as "amazing" and praised Shane’s character.
Legal process and next steps
The police and the Crown Prosecution Service have not provided further detail on the nature of the allegations beyond the charge of causing death by dangerous driving. Mr Cockell is scheduled to appear before Leeds Magistrates' Court in October, where the case will begin the formal magistrates' process before any transfer to the Crown Court, if appropriate.
Inquests into multiple deaths frequently inform criminal inquiries, and the coroner's findings presented at Wakefield Coroner's Court have formed part of the public record in this case. Any prosecution will ultimately depend on evidence gathered by police and evaluated by the CPS.
Road safety questions remain
The collision highlights ongoing concerns about safety on rural single-carriageway roads in the region. The A61 is a busy route linking Barnsley and Wakefield and has sections with overtaking opportunities that can present hazards if misjudged. Local campaigners and road safety groups have previously called for targeted measures and renewed policing to reduce collisions on similar stretches.
As the legal process proceeds, the lives of the families affected remain at the forefront for Barnsley residents. The court appearance in October will provide the first formal opportunity for the case against the charged man to be heard in full.
| Victim | Age / detail |
|---|---|
| Shannen Morgan | Adult (from Athersley) |
| Shane Roller | 33 (from Athersley) |
| Rubie | 9 |
| Lillie | 4 |
| Christopher Barton | 56 (motorcycle rider) |
| Janine Barton | Adult (motorcycle passenger) |
