Van driver who killed mum and daughter was using TikTok and on cocaine | UK News
The van driver who was watching TikTok on his phone when he killed his mother and daughter in a horrific crash has been jailed.
Luke Flanagan was also found to have three times the legal limit for cocaine use when he caused an accident on the A421 near Renhold, Bedfordshire in November 2021.
A 2008 Peugeot car driven by 55-year-old Emma van der Avoird and her 16-year-old daughter Khiana stopped because of traffic in front, but Flanagan did not notice this and crashed into their car with his van.
Flanagan, 28, crashed into the Peugeot with such force that he was pushed under the truck in front of him, after which he burst into flames.
He suffered facial burns after trying to help the injured in the car, but Emma and Khiana, from Little Paxton in Cambridgeshire, died instantly. The two people in the truck were not injured.
Flanagan was arrested and, during police interrogation, stated that he did not see the Peugeot stop because something had fallen on the floor of his van.
However, his phone data showed that he was using TikTok at the time of the accident. His defense claimed that his phone was on the dashboard and was being used to stream music.
In court, a victim statement from sibling Emma was read, stating: “My sister Emma and her daughter Khiana were an inseparable couple.
“Emma was my older sister who I grew up with. We always went back to our old way of life when we were together and chatted when we met or talked on the phone; time just runs away.
“I really only had that kind of relationship with Emma and I can’t tell you how hard it is to not have her or the opportunity to talk to or see her again.
“The impact of Emma and Khiana’s death was significantly worse because of the way they died. They were just on their way to school, as usual, stuck in traffic.
“Honestly, I will never come to terms with this or the fact that their lives were cut short so senselessly.
“I understand that Mr. Flannagan did try to get them out and got burned himself, and I am grateful to him for that, but this is nothing compared to the impact that his actions had on me and my family as a whole.
“I hope he can find a way to live with what he’s done because I know how hard it still is for me.”
Flanagan pleaded guilty to two counts of causing death by dangerous driving and was sentenced by Luton Crown Court to five years and seven months in prison.
He was also suspended for four years and nine months and will have to pass an extended retest to get back behind the wheel.
Death Sergeant Ben Heath said: “First of all, my thoughts are with Emma and Khiana’s family and their terrible loss.
“It was a very unfortunate incident that could have been avoided if Flanagan had kept a close eye on the road.
“I cannot stress enough the importance of paying due attention and caution when driving, especially at high speeds.
“You are driving a powerful machine, so not being aware of what is happening around you can lead to potentially tragic consequences, which, unfortunately, happened in this case.”
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