Swedish police say video shows driver crashed Viola Beach car on purpose

The driver of the car which sent British indie band Viola Beach to their deaths when it plunged 80ft into a Swedish canal earlier this month 'acted deliberately', police say.

Kris Leonard, 20, River Reeves, 19, Jack Dakin, 19, Tom Lowe, 27, and manager Craig Tarry, 33, died when their car plummeted off a highway bridge in Sodertalje near Stockholm last month. 

The inquest into the deaths of the young bandmembers and their manager, which opened in Warrington, Cheshire, this month, found that the driver had no alcohol or drugs in his blood. 

The identity of the driver has not been revealed, but a statement from Swedish police on Thursday indicated that the person behind the wheel was Mr Tarry.

Tragedy: Viola Beach band members (left to right: Jack Dakin, 19, River Reeves, 19, Kris Leonard, 20, and Tom Lowe, 27, died when their car plunged off a bridge in Sodertalje, Sweden

Tragedy: Viola Beach band members (left to right: Jack Dakin, 19, River Reeves, 19, Kris Leonard, 20, and Tom Lowe, 27, died when their car plunged off a bridge in Sodertalje, Sweden

Sports fan: The band's manager Craig Tarry, 33, pictured alongside his father at a football game, also died in the crash in Sweden on February 13

Sports fan: The band's manager Craig Tarry, 33, pictured alongside his father at a football game, also died in the crash in Sweden on February 13

The Warrington-based band were returning from their first gig in Europe when the collision occurred near Sodertalje, shortly after 2am on February 13. 

The CCTV footage from the incident has now been reconstructed by Aftonbladet, showing the driver of Viola Beach's stopping behind a private car and a taxi, next to two lorries, behind the barriers. 

'It looks like the driver acted deliberately,' Swedish Police's Lars Berglund, who is heading the investigation, told Aftonbladet. 

He added that nearly one month after the incident, authorities have yet to find an outside explanation to the crash.

He added: 'From what I can see, a majority of the victims have died [when the car hit] the bridge.' 

First move: The reconstructed CCTV footage shows the band's car pulling up behind two others, before driving up on the shoulder

First move: The reconstructed CCTV footage shows the band's car pulling up behind two others, before driving up on the shoulder

Breaking through: The band's Nissan then accelerates to around 55mph, speeds past the cars and lorries

Breaking through: The band's Nissan then accelerates to around 55mph, speeds past the cars and lorries

Despite the safety barriers being down , the band crashing through the first barrier, breaking it in half

Despite the safety barriers being down , the band crashing through the first barrier, breaking it in half

Crash: The car then drives through the second barrier, according to witnesses without braking

Crash: The car then drives through the second barrier, according to witnesses without braking

The reconstruction video shows the moment when the car hits the bridge as it lifts at around 55mph

The reconstruction video shows the moment when the car hits the bridge as it lifts at around 55mph

Mr Berglund later clarified his initial statement, adding that even though driving through the barriers appears deliberate, there has been no indication that any harm was intended.

'There is no suggestion that it was intended to kill himself or the band,' Mr Berglund told Mirror Online, indicating that the driver of the car was manager Mr Tarry. 

'I said he was making a move from the right lane to the left lane and that was not accidental.

WERE THEY TRYING TO 'BEAT THE BRIDGE'? WARRINGTON BAND MAY HAVE THOUGHT IT WAS A 'SWING'

The members of Viola Beach and their manager all hailed from Warrington in Cheshire.

The Manchester Ship Canal runs through the town, and many car journeys through Warrington involves crossing it on one of three swing bridges.

There are three swing bridges in Warrington across Manchester Ship Canal: at Latchford, Stockton Heath and Lower Walton.

Unlike the bridge over the canal in Sodertalje, Sweden, these bridges swing to the side, rather than rise upwards.

It is reportedly not unheard of that drivers to try to 'beat' the swing bridge, as the 'worst' that can happen is ending up stuck on the bridge and having to wait for it to swing back around. 

'I think the driver's only intention was to avoid a crash. But maybe his speed was too high and it was too late.' 

Seconds later, the Black Nissan Qashqai drives up on the shoulder, accelerates to around 55mph speeds past the cars and lorries, crashing through the middle of the first barrier, and then the second.

'We did not see any brake lights, we talked about it afterwards,' witness Kent Uddén, 49, told the paper.

'When he goes through one barrier, there is no doubt that this is something you should not pass. It's obvious.

'But we saw no indication that he was braking. We would have seen the brake lights, it was so dark. 

The mini-documentary produced by the tabloid also reveals that the band's rented Nissan Qashqai was brand new, and had passed inspections with flying colours just weeks before the crash.  

Despite earlier claims that the warning lights and barriers were faulty, Swedish authorities have found that all equipment on the bridge were fully functioning.

As a result, the Swedish Accident Investigation Authority have ruled not to push forward with their investigation, in effect stating the incident to be the fault of the driver  

How it happened: The band and their manager died after their rental car drove through a safety barrier while the bridge was open to let a vessel pass underneath, and plunged 82 feet into the Sodertalje canal below

How it happened: The band and their manager died after their rental car drove through a safety barrier while the bridge was open to let a vessel pass underneath, and plunged 82 feet into the Sodertalje canal below

Haunting: This footage shows the Warrington-based band Viola Beach on stage in Norrkoping, Sweden, just a few hours before the tragic incident which would take their lives

Haunting: This footage shows the Warrington-based band Viola Beach on stage in Norrkoping, Sweden, just a few hours before the tragic incident which would take their lives

Swedish police said there were no faults with the bridge's warning system and that it 'looks like the driver acted deliberately'

Swedish police said there were no faults with the bridge's warning system and that it 'looks like the driver acted deliberately'

A witness said the car drove through two safety barriers at 55mph, with no indication of braking or intending to stop, before hitting the rising bridge and plunging into the canal

A witness said the car drove through two safety barriers at 55mph, with no indication of braking or intending to stop, before hitting the rising bridge and plunging into the canal

The up-and-coming indie band had just finished their first ever gig outside the UK in Norrkoping and were heading to Arlanda Airport, north of Stockholm, to stay at a hotel before flying back to the UK later on Saturday.

En-route from Norrkoping they had to pass over a highway bridge over the Sodertalje canal, south of the Swedish capital, and got there just after 2am local time.

The bridge has a vertical lift, meaning the middle section is lifted straight up in both ends to allow vessels to pass underneath it. 

Oil tanker Tellus's request to travel down Sodertalje canal was the reason why the bridge was being opened, and the several thousand ton heavy vessel passed.

Minutes after the five young men plunged off the bridge into the water, the several thousand ton heavy vessel passed over the spot where their car was later found. 

Recent London gig: River Reeves, Jack Dakin, Kris Leonard, Tomas Lowe at KoKo in Camden on January 29

Recent London gig: River Reeves, Jack Dakin, Kris Leonard, Tomas Lowe at KoKo in Camden on January 29

On the road: Just hours before the deadly incident, Viola Beach had played in at the Where's The Music festival in Norrköping - their first ever gig outside of the UK

On the road: Just hours before the deadly incident, Viola Beach had played in at the Where's The Music festival in Norrköping - their first ever gig outside of the UK

Travelling: The band had been driving from Norrkoping where they had played their first non-UK gig just hours earlier, and is believed to have been on their way to Arlanda Airport, north of Stockholm

Travelling: The band had been driving from Norrkoping where they had played their first non-UK gig just hours earlier, and is believed to have been on their way to Arlanda Airport, north of Stockholm

Police logs show that the band's black Nissan Qashqai may have been in the water for 15 minutes before police were notified that the car had gone in the canal. 

The safety barriers have been logged as going down at 1.57am, with the bridge opening one minute later. 

It is believed the band and their manager drove through the safety barriers, plunging to their deaths, just after 2am.

However, police were not alerted until 2.17am, when two calls came in reporting a broken safety barrier and someone seeing a car driving into the canal. 

Police arrived at the scene within minutes, and began a rescue operation at 2.34am, recovering the first body at 2.38am.  

Final laughs: John Olsson, of Stockholm punk band Psykofant, took what is believed to be the final photo of Viola Beach, in their shared dressing room in Norrkoping on Friday night

Final laughs: John Olsson, of Stockholm punk band Psykofant, took what is believed to be the final photo of Viola Beach, in their shared dressing room in Norrkoping on Friday night

The accident occurred on the E4 highway bridge in Sodertalje, south of the Swedish capital of Stockholm

The accident occurred on the E4 highway bridge in Sodertalje, south of the Swedish capital of Stockholm

It's believed the vehicle, pictured as it is recovered from the scene, smashed through a barrier and into the water

It's believed the vehicle, pictured as it is recovered from the scene, smashed through a barrier and into the water

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