A tragic multi-vehicle collision on the A46 in Leicestershire has claimed the life of a young man and left another with life-threatening injuries, with police arresting a lorry driver on suspicion of causing death by dangerous driving.
Details of the Fatal Collision
The serious crash occurred on Tuesday evening, February 17, before 6pm on the south-west bound carriageway of the A46, near the Beaumont Leys and Anstey junction heading towards the M1 motorway. The collision involved five vehicles: a lorry, a grey Land Rover Defender, a black Kia Ceed, a blue Volkswagen Sharan, and a Volkswagen Transporter.
Casualties and Arrest
The driver of the Land Rover, a man in his 20s, was pronounced dead at the scene by emergency responders. A passenger in the Volkswagen Sharan, a man in his 30s, sustained life-threatening injuries and was rushed to hospital, where he continues to receive critical medical treatment.
Leicestershire Police have arrested the driver of the lorry involved in the incident, a 53-year-old man, on suspicion of causing death by dangerous driving. He remains in police custody as investigations continue.
Ongoing Police Investigation
Detective Sergeant Jack Cornick from the Leicestershire Police Serious Collision Investigation Unit (SCIU) is leading the inquiry into the circumstances surrounding the crash. He has issued a public appeal for witnesses and dashcam footage to assist with the investigation.
"Our investigation to establish what happened is continuing and I’d like to speak to anyone who can help," said DS Cornick. "I’m keen to speak to anyone who was travelling on either carriageway at the time and in particular, anyone with a dashcam. I’d also ask for anyone who witnessed the collision or who saw any of the vehicles involved beforehand to get in touch."
He emphasized that any information or footage could be crucial for their ongoing enquiries, urging the public to come forward with potential evidence.
Road Closures and Traffic Impact
The north-east bound carriageway of the A46 has since reopened to traffic, but the south-west bound carriageway where the collision occurred is expected to remain closed for most of Wednesday. This extended closure is necessary to allow for essential repairs and thorough forensic examination of the scene by police investigators.
Motorists are advised to seek alternative routes and expect significant delays in the area while the road closure remains in effect. The closure has already caused queues and disruption on the busy route, which serves as a key transport link in the region.
Authorities are working to clear the scene and restore normal traffic flow as quickly as possible, but safety and investigation priorities mean the closure will persist through much of the day.
