M6 horror crash dad who killed own son, 14, while high on cocaine jailed

A dad who was driving while high on cocaine when he crashed his van from a motorway at high-speed, killing his 14-year-old son, has been jailed.

Ryan Liam Morgan was a passenger in his dad's Peugeot van when it left the M6 and crashed into a tree on April 20. His dad, 31-year-old Daniel Burba, also suffered serious injuries and was taken to hospital.

The dad later admitted driving without a licence and insurance at the time of the crash, which took place between junctions 34 for Lancaster and 33 for Galgate. Today he was sentenced at Preston Crown Court to 10 years behind bars.

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The youngster died “in terror” as he tried to gain control of the vehicle moments before the crash, Preston Crown Court heard. Burba was taken to hospital with “relatively minor” injuries to his ribs and lacerations.

While he was being treated, a paramedic discovered a small bag of cocaine in Burba’s wallet, the court was told. Blood tests revealed that the defendant was four times above the legal drug-drive limit.

It emerged that Burba, from Morecambe, Lancashire, had been told in October 2014 by his doctor to stop taking cocaine after he suffered a seizure which lasted up to four minutes. The provisional licence holder was also advised not to drive.

Burba was given a similar warning in February when he was admitted to hospital after more fits and was also told to inform the DVLA. Sentencing, Judge Robert Altham, the Honorary Recorder of Preston, told him: “You knew that cocaine predisposed you to further fits.

“You were not entitled to drive unsupervised and certainly not on the motorway. You should not have behind the wheel at all

“You chose to drive on a motorway on a busy bank holiday Sunday. You had a passenger in the van and that passenger was your son, a person you should have been protecting and not endangering.

“You knew that taking cocaine made your decision to drive all the more dangerous. Your driving put many other road users in danger.”

In a tribute to the teen, his family said: "Ryan, our precious boy. There truly is no one like our Ryan, such a beautiful soul and so far from typical. Words can't express how much we have loved and cherished him and how much we always will. The most funny, silly, loving, generous boy, who literally could not stop talking.

"He was always making his little sisters giggle or giving them cuddles when they were sad. He made them their bottles and read them stories at bedtime. He was such a family lad choosing to stay home with us sometimes when his friends wanted him to go out.

"He tried to put on a laddish attitude but it made us laugh because he was so soft, sensitive, kind and lovely. Every time he had pocket money he would go to the shop and buy everyone else treats and forget himself."

Ryan's mum, Kim, added: "Ryan Liam was the most perfect precious little boy you would ever see, and he grew to be more beautiful every day. He was the most amazing son to Kim and brother to Primrose and Summer and we will miss him as long as we live.

"Our hearts have a hole that will never heal, and we can’t express enough the devastation this has caused our family. We are eternally heartbroken. RIP our perfect beautiful Ryan Liam."

Burba, of Arnside Crescent, pleaded guilty at an earlier hearing to causing death by dangerous driving. He also admitted driving without a licence and with no insurance. Judge Altham disqualified him from driving for 14 years and five months.