Lorry Driver Arrest After Fatal M27 Crash
14 August 2013, 13:41 | Updated: 30 March 2016, 13:50
Police have arrested a man after a fatal crash that closed the M27 near Southampton.
A motorbike rider in his 40's died at the scene after coming off his bike near Junction 5 (Southampton Airport) at around 6.40 this morning (Wednesday 14th August).
The motorway was closed westbound between Junctions 7 (Hedge End) and 5 (Airport) for nearly 8 hours, but reopened at 2.15pm.
It was reported that he was in collision with a lorry which carried on driving and the driver may not have realised what had happened.
Inspector Steve Wakeford from the Roads Policing unit said: “A driver of a waste truck has now contacted us following the death of the motorcyclist.
“He has been arrested on suspicion of causing death by careless driving and failing to stop.
“I would to highlight that the truck he was driving was not a Biffa truck. The information we received initially that the motorcycle was in collision with a Biffa truck was not conclusive.
“It is important to stress that we keeping an open mind about the collision until we have collated all the evidence and ruled out the possibility of any other vehicle being involved.
“That’s why it’s absolutely vital that anyone who witnessed the collision this morning or has any information that can help to get in touch."
The motorway closure caused severe delays for drivers in the whole area. Inspector Steve Wakeford added:“We are investigating an extremely serious incident which involves a number of police teams and agencies. For the sake of a proper investigation, we have to make sure we’ve covered every base and fulfilled our duty to the motorcyclist and his family. We have to conduct an investigation which satisfies all of their questions and the coroner’s questions.
“Closing a motorway is not something we take lightly. We are fully aware of the impact to the public and local businesses and I would like to thank everyone who has been affected for their patience and understanding.”
