Driver killed man in Wigan after failing to defrost windscreen

A woman who repeatedly drove over a man lying in a road after failing to defrost her car windscreen during a winter’s morning has been jailed for six years.

Megan Murphy, 26, pleaded guilty to causing the death of 31-year-old Darryl Tomlinson by dangerous driving. He had collapsed on Pembroke Road, Wigan, in the hours before he was hit by the car on 9 January 2025.

Witnesses tried to alert Murphy as she drove towards Tomlinson, with one shouting “stop” and “go back” and another sounding a car horn.

Bolton Crown Court heard Murphy later called a friend and said: “I’ve ran him over but it’s a smackhead.”

Murphy, of Lord Street, Wigan, had got into her car at about 05:47 GMT on the icy morning and reversed from an alleyway, facing the wrong way down the one-way street, Greater Manchester Police said.

CCTV showed her windscreen and windows were visibly frozen, significantly obstructing her view of the road.

Murphy stopped inches from him after people shouted warnings, but could not see what they were indicating because of the poor visibility.

She then drove forward over Tomlinson, reversed back over him and drove forward over him again. He became trapped beneath the driver’s side of the car.

A witness contacted North West Ambulance Service (NWAS), who alerted police. Officers used a witness’s car jack to free Tomlinson and began CPR.

NWAS arrived shortly afterwards, but he was pronounced dead at about 06:21.