Coroner reaches his verdicts in Toller Lane crash inquest

Murtza Chaudhry, 21, and passengers Arbaaz Hussain, 21, Zeeshan Khalid, 20 and Tayyab Siddique, 22, all died instantaneously of multiple injuries when their car crashed into a tree on Toller Lane in 2018. They were “most likely unaware” of their injuries, an inquest heard.

Mr Chaudhry was driving a grey BMW at speed down Bingley Road just after 5.30am on Thursday, August 2, 2018, with Arbaaz Hussain in the front passenger seat, Tayyab Siddique in the rear off-side passenger seat, and Zeeshan Khalid in the near-side passenger seat.

Bradford’s Senior Coroner, Martin Fleming, concluded that Chaudhry died as a result of misadventure, while his three passengers died as a result of a road traffic collision.

He added Mr Chaudhry “did almost everything you should not do when behind a wheel of a car” and said “all four men were taken in prime of their lives”.

Tributes left to the four men who died in a crash on Toller Lane in August 2018

Yesterday, Mr Fleming said the incident “tragically demonstrates how actions can shatter lives”, adding the crash has “caused terrible devastation to the victim’s families”.

Mr Fleming also urged also drivers to think about the potential impact of their actions when they get behind a wheel of a car.

A two-day virtual inquest in Bradford earlier heard that Mr Chaudhry had drunk more than twice the legal alcohol limit and taken cocaine and cannabis.

He was also disqualified from driving and uninsured at the time of the crash.

Video footage of the BMW travelling at more than 100mph during a police pursuit moments before crashing into a tree was also shown.

The video footage, from PC Hoyle’s unmarked police car, lasted for 77 seconds, 33 seconds of which was in ‘pursuit mode’ and showed from the moment the officer first saw the grey BMW drive past him at speed to when he arrived on Toller Lane following the car crashing into a tree.

LIVE: Inquest on four men killed in Toller Lane crash

The pursuit took in Haworth Road, a long, straight road which has speed limits of both 30mph and 40mph in sections.

PC Hoyle’s vehicle was shown travelling at speeds of up to 100mph in the 30mph zone, trying to keep up with the grey BMW. The grey car also went on the wrong side of the road during the pursuit.

Giving evidence, both Inspector Julie Fitzpatrick, of West Yorkshire Police, and Paul Whitaker, representing the IOPC (Independent Office for Police Conduct), said PC Hoyle correctly followed the guidelines during the pursuit.

Mark Senior, forensic collision investigation supervisor, confirmed the police car arrived at the scene ‘10 or 11 seconds’ after the grey BMW crashed.

Concluding the inquest, Mr Fleming said he was very sorry to the victim’s families for their losses.

The inquest heard that Mr Khalid wanted to settle down and get married and was there for anyone. Mr Siddique doted on his family and touched the lives of many.

Mr Hussain had completed a business diploma, wanted to set up a business and was popular. Mr Chaudhry had many friends and was passionate about cars.