A VAN driver told his fiancée I love you moments before he crashed into the back of a lorry, an inquest heard. David Ingley, of Worcester, died on the A14 at Hemingford Grey on March 26, Huntingdon Coroner s Court heard last week. The inquest was told h

A VAN driver told his fiancée "I love you" moments before he crashed into the back of a lorry, an inquest heard.

David Ingley, of Worcester, died on the A14 at Hemingford Grey on March 26, Huntingdon Coroner's Court heard last week.

The inquest was told how Mr Ingley, 41, had not being paying attention to stationary traffic in the road ahead when he crashed, shortly after 9am.

An engineer, Mr Ingley had spoken to his partner Maria Delacroix from the cab of his van just before the crash, when he had wished her luck for a job interview.

The court heard how Mr Ingley had been driving a Renault pick-up eastbound in lane one of the A14.

According to an eyewitness, a car travelling in front of Mr Ingley had swerved to avoid a crawling articulated lorry ahead.

However, the former doorman did not react and crashed into the back of the fully-loaded truck at 50-60mph, shunting it six metres down the carriageway.

Accident investigator Pc Chris Breeze told the inquest that Mr Ingley had made no attempt to slow down or swerve as he crashed into the back of the bright yellow truck.

Pc Breeze said the vehicle was fitted with a hands-free phone but it was not known whether Mr Ingley had used it to call his fiancée.

Deputy coroner Dr Colin Lattimore said that Mr Ingley, who had a daughter, Mackenzie, was in relatively good health prior to the accident.

Though he had not been wearing a seatbelt at the time of the crash, it might not have saved him, the coroner said. "For some reason, at the crucial seconds he was distracted from the road."

Recording a verdict of accidental death, Dr Lattimore told Mr Ingley's family: "The only crumb of comfort I can offer you is that he would have been killed instantly. He would not have felt anything.