Trucker ‘on phone’ in horror crash
Ethan, left, Aimee and Josh died in the crash, along with Ms Houghton, pictured right with her partner Mr Goldsmith A POLISH lorry driver appeared in court yesterday accused of killing a mother and three children when he ploughed into a line of cars while allegedly on his phone.
Tomasz Kroker, 30, was charged with causing the death by dangerous driving of Tracy Houghton, 45, her sons Ethan, 13, and Josh, 11, and her stepdaughter Aimee Goldsmith, also 11.
Father-of-one Kroker was also charged with a single count of causing serious injury in the crash near Newbury, Berkshire, last month.
Ms Houghton’s partner and Aimee’s father, Mark Goldsmith, witnessed the horror from his car with his son Jake, 13.
They were both injured in the pile-up as the family returned from their summer holiday.
Yesterday, Kroker stood in the dock before Reading magistrates, speaking only to confirm his name, address and date of birth. He did not enter a plea.
Magistrates were told the Crown’s case would be that Kroker was using his mobile phone to change music in his cab when he ploughed into a line of traffic on the A34 on August 10.
Devastating
It is believed that footage from a camera in the lorry’s cab will be used in evidence.
Ms Houghton and the three children, from Dunstable, Bedfordshire, died when their Vaiuxhall Corsa was crushed under a lorry in the concertina crash. Four lorries and four cars were involved in the pile-up.
Another man and a teenage boy were taken to hospital with minor injuries. Nine more people were treated at the scene for minor injuries.
Kroker, of Andover, Hampshire, was remanded in custody ahead of his trial at Reading Crown Court on October 10.
If found guilty, he could face up to nine years in prison.
Ms Houghton’s mother, Jo Smith, said last month that the family had been returning home following a holiday.
A close friend of Ms Houghton, Sarah Young, 53, described her as a “really lovely person”.
“She didn’t deserve this,” Ms Young said. “It is just devastating. I cannot get my head around it.”