Footballer charged over death crash
Updated on 08 June 2008
A professional footballer has been charged over a motorway crash that left two children dead.
Plymouth Argyle goalkeeper Luke McCormick, 24, has been charged with two counts of causing death by dangerous driving, driving with excess alcohol and driving without insurance.
He was arrested on Saturday after a crash on the M6 in Staffordshire in which Arron Peak, 10, and his eight-year-old brother Ben Peak were killed.
The smash happened between junctions 15 and 16 of the motorway near Keele Services in Staffordshire shortly before 5.45am on Saturday.
A silver Toyota Previa people carrier left the southbound carriageway and hit trees after a collision with a black Range Rover.
The boys' father, Philip Peak, 37, who was driving the Previa, remains seriously ill in intensive care at University Hospital of North Staffordshire. Police said he has a suspected broken neck and back.
The three other occupants of the people carrier - a 49-year-old man and his sons, aged eight and 15 - were treated at the same hospital for minor injuries.
The six are from the Manchester area and were travelling to Silverstone, in Northamptonshire, when the crash happened, Staffordshire Police said.
McCormick's Range Rover was also travelling south when the collision took place.
The goalkeeper, who was not hurt, is due to appear before magistrates on Monday.
It emerged he had helped Devon and Cornwall Police with a road safety campaign discouraging motorists from using their mobile phones at the wheel.
McCormick tried - and repeatedly failed - to save penalties while chatting on his phone to show how much using a phone can distract a person from familiar tasks.
There is no suggestion he was using his phone when he was involved in the crash.
Witnesses are asked to call the Central Motorways Police Group on 0121 626 1831.
The boys' parents, Amanda and Phil Peak, said in a statement: "Both Phil and I are devastated at the sudden and tragic death of our two beautiful boys, Arron and Ben.
"No parent should ever have to go through the nightmare we have gone through.
"Arron was my eldest son, loved life and especially football at which he excelled.
"Ben was a happy loving son and brother and nothing will ever compensate us for the loss we are feeling."
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