A man's family was forced to locate his body themselves after he died in a car crash on the M61, as police had closed the incident log without a thorough investigation.
Crash Alert Ignored
Nadeem Hussain's iPhone sent a crash SOS alert to Lancashire Police shortly after 10 p.m. on Saturday, March 21. However, after a single attempt to call the number went unanswered, the police log was closed. Nadeem's family then had to search for him, eventually discovering his body 28 hours later.
Discovery on the Hard Shoulder
At around 2 a.m. on Monday, March 23, Nadeem's distressed relatives tracked his phone and made the grim discovery. They found his Audi A3 down the verge of the hard shoulder on the northbound carriageway of the M61. A Home Office post-mortem examination revealed that the 37-year-old would have died instantly from his injuries, as reported by LancsLive.
The Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC) determined that an investigation should be conducted by the local constabulary.
Tributes and Inquest
Tributes to Nadeem, known as Dimmy, have been left on the hard shoulder near where his car left the carriageway. Cones placed on the hard shoulder were confirmed by National Highways to be due to a drain cover damaged during the collision.
An inquest into Nadeem's death was opened and adjourned at Preston Coroner's Court on Thursday, June 11. The court heard that Nadeem was a mechanic born in Burnley. Area Coroner Kate Bisset stated: "Mr Hussain's death was referred to the coroner because he died from injuries caused by a road traffic collision. The body was identified to PC Mason at the Royal Preston Hospital by Chloe, his wife of 10 years."
Fundraiser and Family Memories
After Nadeem's death, a GoFundMe campaign raised over £4,000 to build wells in third-world countries. His family described him as "a kind, thoughtful man who had the time for anyone and would do anything to help others around."
Many people shared touching stories about Dimmy and his kind nature. His passion was for cars—fixing them, driving them, towing them—a passion he shared with his father. Nadeem was a loving father to three children: Maleesha, Anayah, and Zakariyah. He spent his Sundays taking Anayah to auctions and returning home with extra 'treasures' to annoy his wife.
He was a loving brother and son, very close to his sisters, who are left heartbroken. The family tragically lost another sister, Nadia, six months before Nadeem.
At the inquest opening, the coroner noted that the case "remains with the police and CPS for investigation" and will be further mentioned on July 23.
