Taxi driver dies in smash (From Warrington Guardian)

Taxi driver dies in smash

A TAXI driver died and five people, including four teenagers, were seriously injured in a head-on smash on the Daresbury Expressway on Monday night.

Emergency services raced to the scene after the 41-year-old cabbie's black Citroen Xsara Picasso was in collision with a silver Peugeot 306 carrying four teenagers shortly after 9.30pm.

"It was a head-on collision at speed," said Colin James, watch manager at Stockton Heath fire station, who was called to the crash along with two appliances from Runcorn.

"It was one of the worst... it was bad."

The taxi driver, who police have not yet named, was dead at the scene.

The Guardian understands he had a wife and stepdaughter and worked for Runcorn firm Grosvenor Taxis.

His backseat passenger, a 48-year-old man from Warrington, suffered serious but not life-threatening injuries and was taken to hospital.

The 18-year-old driver of the Peugeot is in a critical but stable condition in intensive care.

His passengers - an 18-year-old girl, a 14-year-old girl and a 15-year-old boy - all suffered serious injuries and remain in 'poorly but stable' conditions in Warrington and Whiston hospitals. All are from Halewood in Merseyside.

Anyone with information should call the traffic special investigations unit on 01244-613 928.