Police confirm identity of two people from High Wycombe who died during wrong-way M40 crash

Thames Valley Police have confirmed the identity of two people from High Wycombe who died during a collision on the M40 in South Oxfordshire on Monday 15th October 2018.

Shortly before 4.00pm police received reports that a Subaru Forester towing a caravan was travelling in the wrong direction on the northbound carriageway of the M40 between Junction 6 (Watlington) and Junction 8A (Oxford).

A few minutes later, the Subaru Forester was in collision with two other cars, a Ford Mondeo and a Ford Focus near Junction 6.

The driver and a passenger in the Subaru, both aged in their eighties, died. They have been formally identified as John Horton, aged 80, and Olive Howard, aged 87, both from High Wycombe.

The driver of the Ford Mondeo also died. He was formally identified on Wednesday 19th October 2018 as Stuart Richards, aged 32, from Stockport, Cheshire.

On Thursday 18th October 2018 Thames Valley Police also disclosed that, on Wednesday 10th October 2018, a report was made to Thames Valley Police of a damage only road traffic collision involving the Subaru Forester in High Wycombe. Due to the previous contact, Thames Valley Police have made a mandatory referral to the Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC) in relation to the fatal collision. The IOPC will now make a decision as to whether they will carry out an investigation.