Six-Year-Old Girl Killed in A12 Crash Near Colchester as Lorry-Car Collision Causes Major Marks Tey Traffic Disruption

COLCHESTER, Essex — A six-year-old girl has died following a serious collision involving a car and a lorry on the A12 near Colchester, a tragedy that also caused extensive disruption for motorists travelling through the Marks Tey and surrounding areas.

The crash happened shortly after 10:30 a.m. on Monday, August 10, 2026, on the northbound carriageway close to Junction 28. Essex Police confirmed that emergency services were called to the scene after reports of a collision involving a lorry and a car. Despite the efforts of emergency responders, the six-year-old girl was pronounced dead at the scene. A second child suffered a leg injury and was taken to hospital for treatment.

As of the latest publicly available update, Essex Police had not released the name of the child who died. Her family and wider loved ones were being supported by specialist officers as investigators continued working to establish exactly what happened in the moments leading up to the collision. Because the child has not been publicly identified, reports should avoid attempting to name her or publishing unconfirmed information about her family.

The crash immediately prompted a major emergency response. Police, ambulance crews and other emergency personnel attended the northbound A12, while an air ambulance was also sent to the scene. The seriousness of the incident led authorities to close the road in both directions so emergency services could work safely and investigators could begin examining the collision. National Highways confirmed that the closure affected the A12 near Colchester and warned motorists to expect significant delays.

The disruption quickly spread well beyond the immediate crash scene. Drivers approaching Colchester from the Marks Tey direction encountered long queues, and congestion developed across parts of the surrounding road network as vehicles attempted to find alternative routes. National Highways reported delays of around an hour at one stage, while traffic was severely affected between Junction 25 at Marks Tey and the Colchester area.

The A12 is one of the most important road links through Essex, carrying large volumes of commuter, commercial and long-distance traffic each day. A serious incident on the route can therefore have an immediate effect on neighbouring roads, and Monday’s closure caused widespread disruption as drivers were diverted away from the affected section.

National Highways initially reported closures in both directions between the Colchester junctions while Essex Police led the emergency response. The southbound carriageway was later reopened, but the northbound side remained closed for much of the day as investigators continued their work. Traffic trapped within the closure was turned around and released under the direction of authorities.

A diversion was established for northbound motorists, directing vehicles away from the A12 at Junction 27, through the A133 and A1232 before allowing them to rejoin the main route at Junction 29. Authorities urged anyone whose journey could be affected to allow additional time, consider delaying travel or use alternative routes where possible.

For motorists travelling from Marks Tey, the consequences were particularly noticeable. Traffic heading north towards Colchester faced delays beginning several junctions before the crash scene. The congestion also placed extra pressure on local roads as vehicles sought alternative ways around the closure.

While the traffic impact was substantial, the most serious consequence of the collision was the death of the young girl. Essex Police confirmed the fatality the following day and said another child remained in hospital receiving treatment for a leg injury. Authorities have not publicly released detailed information about the injured child’s age, identity or current condition beyond confirming the injury.

The Serious Collision Investigation Unit is leading the inquiry into the crash. Detective Inspector Mark Fraser said investigators were working to fully understand the circumstances surrounding the collision and that the lorry driver would be interviewed as part of the investigation. Police confirmed that no arrests were made at the scene and that the lorry driver passed roadside tests.

Those roadside-test results are important because they mean police had not, at that stage, announced evidence that the lorry driver was impaired. Passing roadside tests also does not by itself determine how the collision happened or establish that no traffic offence occurred. Investigators still have to reconstruct the sequence involving the lorry and car and determine whether any driving behaviour, road conditions, mechanical issue or other factor contributed.

No criminal charges have been announced in connection with the collision, and Essex Police have not publicly assigned responsibility to either driver. For that reason, it would be premature to describe the lorry driver or anyone else involved as being at fault.

Police have also not released information confirming whether speed, distraction, visibility or another particular factor contributed to the collision. Those questions form part of the continuing investigation. Serious collision inquiries can involve examination of vehicle damage, road markings, witness statements, CCTV, dashcam recordings and other available evidence.

Investigators have made a direct appeal to motorists and members of the public who may have information about the crash. Police are particularly interested in anyone who witnessed the collision or recorded the vehicles or surrounding events on dashcam or other video equipment.

Detective Inspector Fraser said incidents of this nature are sensitive and complex and stressed that investigators were committed to establishing the full circumstances. He also expressed sympathy for the child’s family and confirmed that specialist officers were providing support.

Anyone contacting Essex Police about the collision has been asked to quote incident number 421 of August 10 so information can be directed to the investigating team as quickly as possible. People who would prefer to provide information anonymously can also contact the independent charity Crimestoppers.

The collision and resulting closure also came during a period when motorists around Marks Tey were already dealing with scheduled roadworks on sections of the A12. National Highways has been carrying out maintenance between Chelmsford and Colchester, including resurfacing, road-marking work and central reservation maintenance.

One stage of those works involved planned overnight southbound closures between Junction 25 at Marks Tey and Junction 23 from August 10 into September. Those planned restrictions were separate from the fatal collision near Colchester, but together they demonstrate why drivers in the area have been advised to check road conditions before travelling.

It is important to distinguish the planned roadworks from the emergency closure caused by the crash. The fatal incident took place during the daytime and required an immediate police and emergency-service response. The maintenance programme, by contrast, involves scheduled overnight work designed to reduce disruption during peak daytime hours.

For residents and regular commuters, however, both can affect journey planning. Marks Tey serves as an important junction between the A12 and A120 and is a key point for traffic moving towards Colchester and other parts of north-east Essex. When the A12 is restricted near Colchester, congestion can quickly extend back towards Marks Tey and into neighbouring routes.

The investigation into the August 10 collision remains primarily focused on the loss of the child and the circumstances that caused the lorry and car to collide. While the resulting traffic congestion was serious, police have emphasised the human impact of the incident.

A six-year-old child died at the scene, and another child was injured. Behind those basic facts is a family dealing with a sudden and devastating loss.

Authorities have not publicly released information about the relationship between the two children or identified the adults travelling in the car. Those details should remain private unless Essex Police or the family chooses to release them.

The decision not to immediately identify a child involved in a fatal incident is not unusual. Police generally work closely with families and will not release names before appropriate notifications have been made. In some cases, families choose to keep a child’s identity private entirely.

As a result, the most accurate way to describe the victim at present is simply as a six-year-old girl. Any name circulating without confirmation from Essex Police, a coroner, the family or another authoritative source should be treated cautiously.

The same approach applies to claims regarding precisely how the crash occurred. Although police have confirmed that a lorry and car were involved, they have not yet published a detailed reconstruction describing the movements of each vehicle immediately before impact.

The lorry driver being interviewed does not mean he has been accused of a crime. Interviews with people involved in or witnessing serious collisions are a routine and necessary part of investigations. Police will use those accounts alongside physical and digital evidence in an attempt to understand the sequence of events.

At the time of the initial police update, there had been no arrests. That position could change if investigators later uncover evidence supporting further action, but no such development should be assumed before authorities announce it.

The incident has become one of the most serious recent traffic events affecting the Colchester section of the A12, not because of the length of the queues but because a child lost her life.

Traffic eventually returned towards normal after emergency work, recovery operations and investigative activity allowed restrictions to be lifted. But for the family of the girl who died, the consequences of the collision will not end with the reopening of the road.

The injured child also remains an important part of the story. Police initially confirmed that the child suffered a leg injury and was receiving hospital treatment. No further publicly verified medical update has been provided in the sources reviewed.

As Essex Police continue investigating, further information may eventually clarify what caused the collision, whether any offences are identified and whether additional action will be taken.

Until that happens, the confirmed facts remain that emergency services responded to the northbound A12 near Junction 28 shortly after 10:30 a.m. on August 10 following a collision between a lorry and a car; a six-year-old girl died at the scene; another child suffered a leg injury; no arrests were made at the scene; and the lorry driver passed roadside tests.

The tragedy prompted a major road closure and significant congestion stretching towards Marks Tey, with National Highways managing diversions while police carried out their investigation.

For now, the investigation continues and police are urging anyone with dashcam footage, video recordings or information that could help explain the circumstances to come forward.

The thoughts of the wider community remain with the six-year-old girl’s family, the child who was injured and everyone directly affected by the fatal A12 collision near Colchester.