Lorry driver killed after jumping in front of truck in Doncaster village blighted by road tragedies

An HGV driver has died after jumping in front of a lorry travelling through a village notorious for a series of road tragedies. Allan Owen, 52, was seen hiding behind a bush before the collision on the A635 in Hickleton, between Doncaster and Barnsley, last August, and was killed instantly when he was struck by the Scania articulated lorry.

Traffic surveys conducted by a village action group have found that around 3,000 lorries pass through Hickleton every day, most on their way to and from logistics sites in Barnsley, because of a lack of a bypass road that would connect the M1 and A1(M).

There have been at least five deaths on the road through the village. Most recently, on Friday (January 26), a woman suffered serious and life-threatening injuries after a collision between two vans in the village.

The inquest at Doncaster Coroner’s Court on Tuesday heard that the Scania was travelling at below the speed limit of 30mph when it hit Mr Owen, who himself worked as a long-distance lorry driver for much of his life. The HGV’s driver, Peter Knighton, was not arrested or charged in relation to Mr Owen’s death because a woman witnessed the entire incident and was able to confirm that he would have had no time to react to Mr Owen’s movements.

The hearing was told that Mr Owen, who lived in nearby Barnburgh, had a history of anxiety, depression and heroin use, but engaged with drugs and mental health services and had regular treatment and assessments. He lived with his mother Sylvia, and also had family support from his son Ben, a civil engineer, and sister Mandy.

On August 14, he had gone out to a pharmacy to collect prescription medication, but when he returned to his mother’s house, became angry and upset when he scraped his car against the garden fence. He left again soon after and drove to Hickleton. Medical evidence confirmed that he had made several suicide attempts in the weeks before his death, had become agitated about tremors he was suffering from and had been treated at Doncaster Royal Infirmary.

Area coroner Louise Slater made references to her ‘familiarity’ with the A635 due to previous fatal accidents on the stretch, which included a crash in 2019 where a man and his teenage grandson died when their car was struck by a lorry, but did not question South Yorkshire Police forensic collision investigator Robert Eyre or PC Simon Peace about the road’s reputation due to the ‘different nature’ of Mr Owen’s death. Both officers said that Mr Knighton was found not to be at fault.

Recording a conclusion of suicide, Ms Slater said: “Allan’s family felt that he could be kept safe at home, and the hospital’s mental health team felt he would be safe there. A detailed care plan was made.

"The damage to his car sent him into a difficult place and he left the house, telling his mother to get on with her life. I agree that there was nothing the lorry driver could do. The collision was due to the deliberate actions of Mr Owen and I am satisfied that there was intent to end his life.”

Residents of Hickleton were campaigning for the road to be routed around, rather than through Hickleton as long ago as 1901, when they petitioned Earl Halifax of Hickleton Hall for a bypass. In 2021, villagers succeeded in getting speed cameras installed.