Van Driver’s Cocaine-Fuelled Crash Kills Mother and Daughter
Luke Flanagan, 28, smashed his Ford Transit into a stationary car on the A421 near Renhold just before 8am on November 1, 2021. The Peugeot 2008 had stopped in heavy traffic, but Flanagan, failing to spot it, crashed with such force the car was shoved under a truck and burst into flames.
Mother and Teen Daughter Tragically Lose Lives
Emma van der Avoird, 55, and her 16-year-old daughter Khiana, both from Little Paxton, Cambridgeshire, were inside the Peugeot. Emergency teams arrived swiftly but sadly pronounced both dead at the scene.
Flanagan suffered facial burns trying to rescue them. The truck’s two drivers escaped unharmed.
Flanagan Caught High on Cocaine, Claimed Distraction
Police arrested Flanagan for causing death by dangerous driving. Tests revealed he was three times over the legal cocaine limit.
He told officers he didn’t see the stopped Peugeot because he glanced down after something fell in his van. Data showed he’d been using TikTok — which his defence said was just streaming music on his dashboard.
Five Years Behind Bars and Driving Ban
Flanagan pleaded guilty to two counts of causing death by dangerous driving. He was sentenced at Luton Crown Court to five years and seven months in prison.
He also got a driving ban lasting four years and nine months and must pass an extended re-test.
Family Speak Out: “Lives Ended So Needlessly”
“My sister Emma and her daughter Khiana were inseparable,” a family member said. “We always chatted whenever we met or spoke on the phone; time just ran away. I can’t describe how hard it is not to have her here or the chance to speak to her again.”
“They were just on their way to school, stuck in traffic like any other day. I will never come to terms with how their lives ended so needlessly.”
“I understand Flanagan tried to help and got burns himself, and I thank him for that, but it doesn’t compare to the impact on our family. I hope he can live with what he’s done, because I still struggle every day.”
Police Urge Drivers to Stay Focused
Detective Sergeant Ben Heath of the Bedfordshire, Cambridgeshire and Hertfordshire Serious Collision Investigation Unit said:
“My thoughts are with Emma and Khiana’s family in their terrible loss.
This tragic crash was avoidable if Flanagan had been paying attention. Driving demands full focus—especially at speed—because being unaware can lead to deadly consequences, as sadly happened here.”
