Man who worked in Rugby crashed into back of truck trailer that 'should not have been' on slip road - but alcohol also played major role

A "kindhearted" Daventry man who worked in Rugby was killed on a Northamptonshire road after he crashed into the back of a lorry trailer that "should not have been" on a slip road - but he himself was over the drink-drive limit when he crashed.

Nathaniel Carter, 29, had been driving home to Daventry from Northampton on Weedon Road with his girlfriend in March 2019 when, for unknown reasons, his white Ford Fiesta left the road and veered onto the slip road for the Red Lion Truck Stop.

However, it was on this slip road that two HGV drivers were trying to swap a trailer from one cab onto the other.

Without power, the trailer had no hazard lights on and was stationary on an unlit strip of road - only for Mr Carter's car to crash into the back of it at around 65mph.

At an inquest yesterday (February 19), the coroner heard from a police collision investigator that although the two lorry drivers "should not have" tried to swap the trailer on the slip road, Mr Carter was twice over the drink-drive limit when the accident happened - which would have played a "more major" role in the fatal crash.

The inquest heard Mr Carter was likely killed instantly. His girlfriend received non-life-threatening injuries.

In a statement read out by senior coroner Anne Pember, his girlfriend said: "The only thing I remember is shouting 'stop'. I do not remember anything but I must have seen it coming.

"I just don't know how we ended up going into the back of the lorry. It just doesn't make sense."

The inquest heard Mr Carter was a "kindhearted" and popular person who at the time of his death had be greatly enjoying his work as an operations manager at factory in Rugby.

In a statement read out by the coroner, Mr Carter's father Paul said: "Nathaniel was a talented young man. He was a popular person who had a huge circle of friends and loved socialising.

"He had everything to live to live for and was excited about his future. As parents we will never know what life held in store for him. We will always cherish out memories of him.

"Life will never be the same without him."