A LORRY driver has been told he faces jail after admitting causing the death of three people in a multi-vehicle crash in County Durham.
Emergency services rushed to junction 61 on the A1(M) near Bowburn on July 15 after the incident, which involved four cars and two lorries.
One of the lorries caught fire after the crash, causing hours of disruption on the major road.
Driver Ion Nicu Onut, 41, was arrested after the incident.
Seaham couple Elaine Sullivan, 59, and David Daglish, 57, and Paul Mullen, 51, from Washington, were killed in the crash.
Onut, of Galashiels, Scotland, appeared at Durham Crown Court on Thursday, where he pleaded guilty to three charges of causing death by dangerous driving.
Read more: Speed cameras go up between Durham, Aycliffe and Darlington on the A1(M)
It is believed the families of the victims will read statements out in court at a later hearing.
Onut will be sentenced on Tuesday, January 11, 2022, and was remanded in custody.
In a joint statement, the families of Elaine Sullivan and David Daglish said: “Our world has been shattered into a million pieces.
“Elaine and Dave were incredibly kind-hearted, loving and supportive parents, grandparents, family members and friends.
“Their premature departure has left behind an irreparable hole in both our families and the local community; their kind and devoted selves will never be forgotten.”
Tributes were also paid to Paul Mullen by his partner and three children. In a statement, his family said: “Our hearts are broken. Life will never be the same again.
"He will be sadly missed by all who knew him.”
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