West Yorkshire Officer Killed in M1 Smash

25 October 2011, 05:50 | Updated: 30 March 2016, 13:50

A West Yorkshire police officer paid the "ultimate sacrifice'' when he was struck by a lorry while helping a woman whose car had broken down on the M1, his force said.

Pc Mark Goodlad, 41, was airlifted to hospital following the accident on the M1 between junctions 40 and 39, but died from his injuries.

West Yorkshire Police Federation chairman Andrew Tempest-Mitchell said: "It is a sad day for West Yorkshire Police who have lost a dedicated officer who has been killed doing a very dangerous job. It was my understanding he was a very experienced road traffic officer.''

It is understood the officer was married with one child and had been in the force for 10 years.

Pc Goodlad, from East Yorkshire, was a Motorway Patrol Roads Policing officer and was on duty at the time of the accident yesterday.

He had stopped to help a woman whose car had broken down on the hard shoulder, West Yorkshire Police said.

While he was helping her, a HGV struck him and the marked police car, a spokesman said. The 51-year-old woman received minor injuries.

The 44-year-old driver of the HGV was arrested on suspicion of causing death by dangerous driving, police added

Chief Constable of West Yorkshire Police Sir Norman Bettison said: "People sometimes overlook the real essence of policing. We exist to protect the public from threat and harm.

Sometimes it is about crime, sometimes disorder. Today, it was about the dangerous environment of the motorway.

Pc Mark Goodlad was assisting a vulnerable motorist, who had broken down in that dangerous space. He was doing his job as his colleagues do day in day out.

Police officers put themselves at risk for others.

Mark paid the ultimate sacrifice and we are all proud of him and are saddened by his loss.

Our thoughts and sympathy are with Mark's family. We shall try to be there for them as Mark was there for the public at large.''

Tributes to the officer were posted on the internet within hours of his death.

One tweet said: "How sad, no-one should die doing their job.''

Yvette Cooper, shadow home secretary and a West Yorkshire MP, said: "The news of the death of Pc Mark Goodlad whilst working to help others and keep people safe is desperately painful and sad.

All our sympathies and thoughts go out to his family and friends. This loss is felt by the whole community and police force in West Yorkshire."