A ‘doting’ father-of-two was killed when his car aquaplaned in torrential rain and became airborne after hitting a ramped safety barrier before smashing into a concrete support pillar.
Leigh Nardelli, 46, was driving a Mercedes AMG car on the A5 near Milton Keynes, Buckinghamshire, when it lost control and hit the central reservation.
The car continued sliding until it was flung into the air by the ramped section of another safety barrier and launched into the air, eventually hitting a concrete post they were protecting.
Mr Nardelli, a skateboarding industry executive, died at the scene after suffering multiple injuries.
A coroner has now sent a Prevention of Future Deaths Notice to National Highways after it emerged the barrier had been identified as a major safety risk in 2022 – two years before the crash – but delayed replacing it for financial reasons.
Dr Sean Cummings, the assistant coroner for Milton Keynes, wrote: ‘This had been in place to protect the concrete support pillar of an overhead bridge.
‘However, it is acutely ramped and allowed Mr Nardelli’s vehicle to be projected up it, travel along the top before entering a wider space between the barriers on the south and northside.
‘The vehicle then seems to have descended and “flipped” becoming airborne and striking the concrete support causing fatal injuries.
Leigh Nardelli, 46, was killed when his car was launched into the air off a ramped safety barrier on the A5 near Milton Keynes, Buckinghamshire, and hit a concrete bridge support. A coroner has written to National Highways about the dangers presented by the barrier, which had been identified as a risk two years earlier
‘The barrier ramp, known as a “P1 terminal” had been due for replacement to a safer bifurcated system [where a single barrier splits into two and run either side of an obstacle] in 2022 but for financial reasons was not.
‘The hazard posed by the design of the P1 terminal was known by National Highways and it was due for replacement at the site of the collision in 2022.
‘It presented and continues to present a significant risk and was not replaced for financial reasons.
‘There is a gradual roll out programme across National Highways to replace P1 terminals with a safer bifurcated system but I consider the implications of the financial limitations represents an ongoing safety concern for vehicles approaching them on designated roads.
‘In my opinion action should be taken to prevent future deaths and I believe you (and/or your organisation) have the power to take such action.’
Dr Cummings concluded at an inquest in March that Mr Nardelli died as the result of a road traffic collision.
The Chelsea fan, who was originally from London but lived in Leighton Buzzard, Bedfordshire, was driving his white Mercedes at speed on the 60mph road at 10.30am on July 6, 2024, when his car ran through a patch of pooled water and lost control.
Crash investigation officers from Thames Valley Police had access to traumatic footage showing how the car hit the barrier, spun and crunched into the concrete bridge support.
Mr Nardelli, who had worked since the late 1990s for Britain’s largest skateboard distribution company, New Deal UK, left behind two sons, Eddie, 18, and Axel, five.
A Gofundme page set up to help support them raised £12,670. The website said: ‘Leigh was an amazing, doting father who provided everything for his sons.
A gofundme page launched to provide financial support for the sakteboarding industry executive’s sons Eddie, 18, and Axel, five, raised more than £12,000
Mr Nardelli, who died at the scene of the crash from multiple injuries, was described as a ‘doting’ dad
‘Losing him has left a huge hole in the lives of not only his close family and friends but everyone that knew him. ‘Part of the money will go towards helping to pay for Eddie to carry on snowboarding, as he is currently competing and training with Snowboard England.
‘He is also about to start to learn to drive and it would be great for him to be able to travel to training in the near future.
‘Leigh was such a special person to so many. He was one of life’s good ones and a truly amazing dad, brother, uncle, son and friend.’
Eddie wrote on Instagram after the tragedy: ‘We are all going to miss my dad because he was one of the best people to exist, whether it was dad, husband, brother, son – he was the perfect man at all of it.
‘He truly was the perfect man and I think we all want to be as good as he was. I miss you dad.’
National Highways has 56 days in which to respond to the coroner by setting out its proposed action.
A spokesman said: ‘Every death on our roads is one too many and our thoughts are with the family and friends of Leigh Nardelli following this tragic incident.
‘We will consider the coroner’s report and respond within the deadline.’
