A man has been detained on suspicion of causing death by dangerous driving following a tragic accident in the UK that resulted in the deaths of six people, including four members of one family.
The victims included Shannen Morgan and Shane Roller, who had recently celebrated their 25th wedding anniversary, and their two daughters, nine-year-old Rubie Morgan-Roller and four-year-old Lillie Morgan-Roller. They died when their Ford Focus collided with a motorcycle ridden by Christopher and Janine Barton, who also perished in the crash. The incident occurred on the A61, between Barnsley and Wakefield, on Sunday afternoon.
The son of the deceased couple described them as “a loving, caring mum and dad who always put me before everything else.”
West Yorkshire Police have confirmed the man’s arrest and are seeking witnesses who saw a grey Porsche 911 near the scene. Authorities are also requesting dashcam, CCTV, or doorbell footage showing the Porsche and its driving behavior.
Det Sgt Steven Suggitt appealed for information, urging anyone who saw the grey Porsche 911 around the south of Wakefield or north of Barnsley to come forward. The collision occurred around 15:55 BST and involved the Bartons’ BMW S100 XR motorbike and the Rollers’ Ford Focus.
Mr. Roller, from Barnsley, and his partner had another daughter, aged 11, who was not in the car at the time of the accident. Mr. Roller’s father paid tribute on social media, highlighting his son’s deep love for his family, and praised Shannen as both humorous and an excellent mother.
Christopher Barton, 56, and Janine Barton, 48, had recently celebrated their 25th wedding anniversary. Their son described them as “a loving, caring mum and dad who always put me before everything else.”
Clare Storr and Kirsty Wordsworth, co-head teachers at Athersley North Primary School, where Rubie and Lillie were students, remembered the girls as “a delight to teach” and praised their parents for being supportive.
A GoFundMe campaign, organized by family friend Paul Hepple, has raised over £340,000 to support the Rollers’ surviving daughter. Hepple noted that the young girl had “lost her whole world in an instant” and that the funds would help provide her with a stable and loving environment.
A special service was held at St Helen’s Church in Athersley for the community to pay their respects to the victims.
