Trucker with misted windscreen caused five-vehicle pile-up

THIS is the moment a lorry driver caused a “horror” five-vehicle pileup in North Wales after driving with a “steamed up” front windscreen.

- By CHARLIE FENTON, SWNS, and STEVE BAGNALL

Police drone footage from the crash on December 3 2024.

Christopher Tribe was driving the HGV with poor visibility when he smashed into the back of a white minibus. It caused the vehicles in front to crash into each other, a court heard.

Dashcam footage shows 57-year-old Tribe driving along the B5129 at Sandycroft, Flintshire, with a misty windscreen - which he failed to clear. This was moments before the incident on December 3 last year.

There was a huge emergency response - with police drone footage showing the aftermath of the incident, the minibus in a nearby water-filled ditch with its back doors crushed.

A silver car can be seen crushed, as well as a white van and two other cars damaged, while Tribe's lorry can be seen at the side of the road.

Tribe, of Mayfield Drive in Buckley, appeared at Mold Magistrates' Court for sentence on Thursday.

The court handed him a 36-week custodial sentence - suspended for 18 months - after he previously admitted one offence of driving a motor vehicle dangerously.