Taunton M5 crash: Lorry driver admits causing death of two people

The crash happened on the M5 near Taunton in September 2018

A lorry driver has admitted causing the deaths of two people who were killed in a crash on the M5.

William Cater, 47, from Cirencester, drove into a line of queuing traffic waiting to leave the motorway at junction 25, in September 2018.

He admitted two counts of causing death by dangerous driving and a further two counts of causing serious injury by dangerous driving at Taunton Crown Court.

Cater will be sentenced on 26 March.

Rod Walsh worked for the NHS in Somerset

The crash happened on the southbound carriageway a mile north of Taunton, at about 08:30 BST, on 13 September 2018.

The two people who were killed were Rod Walsh, 54, from Cheddar, and Joanne Jennings, 45, from Highbridge.

An inquest into their deaths heard Mr Walsh died from chest injuries and Mrs Jennings from head injuries.

Joanne Jennings worked as a carer

Five other people were injured, two of them seriously.

Police said the crash between the lorry and a car "impacted on six other vehicles in front of the car which were also queuing".

Hundreds of vehicles were caught up in the tailbacks on the M5.

The southbound carriageway was reopened 11 hours after the crash happened.