Following an incident that claimed the lives of six people, including four members of the same family, a man has been arrested on suspicion of causing death by hazardous driving.
When their automobile struck a motorcycle, Rubie Morgan-Roller, age nine, and Lillie Morgan-Roller, age four, perished along with their parents, Shannen Morgan and Shane Roller.
The collision on the A61 between Barnsley and Wakefield on Sunday afternoon also claimed the lives of Christopher and Janine Barton, who were both riding the motorcycle.
Anyone who witnessed a grey Porsche 911 being driven in the vicinity at the time of the crash is being urged to come forward by the police.
West Yorkshire Police said the man was arrested earlier and remained in custody.
They also urged anyone who may have dashcam, CCTV or doorbell footage of the Porsche and the manner it was being driven to contact them.
Det Sgt Steven Suggitt said: “I would like to appeal for anyone who may have seen this grey Porsche 911 being driven on the roads around the south of Wakefield or north of Barnsley to please contact us.”
The Bartons’ BMW S100 XR motorbike and the family’s Ford Focus collided on the road at about 15:55 BST.
Mr Roller and his partner, from Barnsley, had another daughter, aged 11, who was not with them at the time of the crash.
Paying tribute in a post on social media, Mr Roller’s father said his son, who was aged 33, and daughter-in-law “thought the world of their little family”.
He stated: “Shane had a golden heart and was not only a wonderful son but also an incredible parent.
“Shannen, our daughter-in-law, was funny and was also an amazing mum and they thought the world of their little family.”
The 56-year-old Mr. Barton and the 48-year-old Mrs. Barton recently commemorated their 25th wedding anniversary.
Their son praised the Barnsley-based pair in a police memorial, calling them “a loving, caring mum and dad who always put me before everything else.”
Clare Storr and Kirsty Wordsworth, co-head teachers of Athersley North Primary School, which Rubie and Lillie attended, said the girls were “a delight to teach”.
“The girls were a credit to their parents, who were always incredibly supportive and who will also be greatly missed,” they said.
More than £340,000 has been raised for the surviving daughter of Ms Morgan, 30, and her partner after a GoFundMe campaign was set up by family friend Paul Hepple.
Mr Hepple said the youngster had “lost her whole world in an instant” and the donations would “ensure she has a stable, loving environment where she can heal and grow”.
A special service was held earlier at St Helen’s Church in Athersley to allow people to pay their respects to those who died.
The service, led by Father Peter Needham, was attended by about 50 people.
David Leech, a governor at Athersley North Primary School, said several teachers attended the service.
“To say they were quite upset is an understatement, they are devastated”, he added.
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