Face of RAF pilot who killed four members of family in suicidal motorway crash as inquest hears he would have faced manslaughter charges if he'd survived

This is the archetypal representation of a depressed RAF aviator who killed 4 members of a household successful a suicidal motorway crash.

Richard Woods – seen present successful formation fatigues and helmet – drove 1.1 miles successful the incorrect absorption connected the accelerated lane of the M6 adjacent Tenby successful Cumbria for astatine slightest 57 seconds arsenic motorists had to serve to debar him connected October 15, 2024.

Woods, 40, died successful the head-on collision with Jaroslaw Rossa, 42, and his spouse Jade McEnroe, 33, and his sons Filip, 15, and Dominic, seven.

But connected Thursday Cumbria Police said the RAF aviator who was 4 times implicit the ineligible drink-drive bounds and was found with a two-thirds bare gin vessel successful his Skoda Fabia car, would person been charged with manslaughter had helium survived.

Miss McEnroe's seven-year-old son, Arran, survived his injuries aft a workman jumped retired of his Transit van and utilized a jack to smash the rear windscreen of Mr Rossa's Toyota Yaris and pulled him retired from the burning vehicle.

Detective Sergeant Deborah Story, of Cumbria Police's superior roadworthy collision probe unit, told the inquest into their deaths that Woods would person been prosecuted connected 4 counts of manslaughter had helium lived.

She said she noted that Mr Woods went from 'putting himself' against larger vehicles wherever lone helium would beryllium apt to beryllium harmed to 'putting himself' against smaller vehicles successful which the 'likelihood of harm to different radical is importantly high'.

The serviceman went on: 'My appraisal of each of the grounds was that Mr Woods deliberately caused the collision.

'Had Mr Woods survived, careless of immoderate injuries, I would person sought 4 charges of manslaughter.'

Woods widow was not disposable for remark erstwhile contacted connected Thursday astatine the household location successful Ely, Cambs.

Woods, primitively from Hexham, Northumbria, was a formation lieutenant and past squadron person during a distinguished 14-year RAF vocation arsenic a accelerated pitchy pilot.

He toured Afghanistan twice, completed 3 tours of Iraq - receiving a commendation for 1 - earlier leaving the RAF successful 2019.

He latterly worked for BAE Systems, based astatine RAF Marham successful Norfolk, arsenic a pb contractor teacher pilot.

The inquest heard helium had a past of anxiousness and detrimental intoxicant use, for which helium latterly received nonrecreational help.