POLICE officers investigating a horror smash which left one man dead are appealing for witnesses to come forward.
The collision on the southbound stretch of the M18 on Friday morning led to the road being closed for hours while emergency services battled to save a motorist who was struck twice after he got out of his car following a crash.
Police said the 53-year-old, from Gilberdyke in Humberside, got out of his blue Ford Focus after it ended up stationary in the middle lane of the motorway following a crash between Junctions 2 and 3 - Wadworth and Warmsworth.
A Ford Transit van travelling behind the Focus tried to take evasive action to avoid the abandoned car but collided with its rear and struck the motorist who was in the road.
A white HGV, driven by a 49-year-old Cleethorpes man and a blue HGV driven, by a 55-year-old Goole man, then collided with the green Ford Transit before the blue HGV hit the motorist from the Focus.
It is believed that the fatally injured man ended up trapped underneath the blue lorry and another four vehicles ended up colliding.
Police officers investigating the circumstances surrounding the incident want to hear from witnesses or anyone who saw the manner of the driving of those involved beforehand.
A South Yorkshire Police spokesman said: “Officers investigating a fatal collision that closed the M18 southbound carriageway for several are appealing for witnesses.
“The collision occurred shortly after 7am on Friday between junction 3 and junction 2 on the M18 southbound carriageway.
“A 53-year-old man from suffered fatal injuries in the collision. It is believed that the man sustained his fatal injuries when he got out of his blue Ford Focus that had become stationary in lane two, at an angle, with the front of the car facing the central reservation.
“It is thought that the 26-year-old male driver of a second vehicle, a green Ford Transit van, tried to take evasive action to avoid the Ford Focus before glancing the rear of the car and also hitting the man.
“The 53-year-old man sustained fatal injuries and five others travelling in the vehicles involved sustained a variety of minor whiplash injuries.
“Officers investigating are urging anyone who witnessed the collision or witnessed the manner of the driving of the vehicles involved prior to the collision to call South Yorkshire Police.”
Call 101 and quote incident 125 of Friday, February 8.