Devastating CCTV captured the moments before a cocaine-fuelled driver sparked a horror crash on the M6 – killing his 14-year-old son.
Daniel Burba, 31, veered off the southbound carriageway in his Peugeot Bipper van near Lancaster on April 20. He was accused of driving in an ‘erratic manner’ with the van seen swerving across lanes with hazard lights flashing, way above the 70-mph speed limit.
His dangerous behaviour saw the van mount a grass embankment and smash into a tree before rolling over with great force between junctions 34 and 33. His passenger, son Ryan, suffered severe head injuries and was pronounced dead at the scene.
Police investigators believe that Burba suffered an epileptic fit moments before the collision, which was ‘aggravated by his use of cocaine’. It’s thought that he was made well aware of this condition and had been explicitly warned not to drive.
New CCTV footage, issued after Burba was sentenced to 10 years in prison, shows the father walking into a petrol station just moments before getting back into his uninsured vehicle.
The pair are then seen to leave, heading towards the M6 when Ryan was devastatingly killed.
Harrowing images have also been released, revealing the heartbreaking aftermath of the crash, when the teen was pronounced dead.
A Home Office post-mortem examination concluded that Ryan died as a result of head injuries from the intense crash. In a victim impact statement to the court, his mum said: “My heart is broken, and I don’t see it healing.
“I haven’t grieved properly because I feel if I start to let myself go, I’ll never stop, so even though I’m struggling daily, I’m also trying to be strong for my two daughters. I feel that no amount of time Daniel will serve will ever be enough for taking Ryan’s life. Not only did he take my boy’s life, but he also took my boy’s future.
“My boy will never grow and be a father, go to work and follow his dreams or travel. He didn’t even get to finish school. He hasn’t ever had a chance to experience life. It’s so unfair because Ryan did have a beautiful heart. He wanted to be a policeman.
“He would have changed the world. He made it a better place in the short time he was here. He made everyone smile who came into contact with him. He had a smile that lit up the room. Daniel has taken all that and more.”
Following the crash, Burba was arrested. The 31-year-old, of Morecambe, was charged with causing death by dangerous driving, causing death by driving a vehicle while unlicensed, causing death by driving a vehicle whilst uninsured and drug driving.
Toxicology tests revealed that not only was Burba an alarming four times over the legal limit for cocaine and its derivative benzoylecgonine, but there were also traces of amphetamine found in his system. Lancashire Police say he should never have been behind the wheel, given his condition and the fact he only held a provisional driving licence.
Appearing in the dock at Preston Crown Court on August 5, he was sentenced to 10 years in prison and banned from driving for 14 years and five months. If he ever wishes to get behind the wheel again, he will be required to take an extended retest.
Ryan’s mother added: “Daniel has taken a precious son, brother, grandson, nephew, friend and cousin. He had so much to live for. The fact that Daniel knew he wasn’t allowed to drive due to his seizures, plus a lack of licence and insurance, is just disgusting.”
Sgt Martin Wilcock, Senior Investigating Officer at our Road Policing Unit, said: “No sentence will ever make up for any loss of life, particularly in these tragic circumstances. However, Daniel Burba will have the rest of his life to reflect upon the catastrophic consequences his decision to consume drugs and then get behind the wheel has had. Sadly, his son will not.
“I hope the outcome of this case sends a strong message out to anyone who is considering driving, having been told by a doctor not to. Or anyone who is considering driving, having consumed drugs or alcohol. As is so very obvious from this case, you run the risk of taking a life but also ruining many others – including your own.”
He added: “This was a major incident that resulted in the closure of the motorway for a significant period of time. We know there was some frustration at the time, but we hope the public understands that the carriageway needed to be closed to facilitate the investigation work that resulted in this conviction and significant sentence.”