G-Zero
Guru
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- Kirkcudbright, SW Scotland
You forgot to add "and cycling" after "driving"
Cyclist killed in Washington
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linky no worky
G-Zero
Guru
- Location
- Kirkcudbright, SW Scotland
Update from Sunderland Echo.... Apologies, cut and paste due to link issues again.
A bus driver who failed to stop for 24 metres after colliding with and dragging a cyclist under his single-decker vehicle has pleaded guilty to causing his death.
John Yates, 57, admitted causing death by careless driving after he pulled into the path of 46-year-old grandad Leslie Turnbull at a junction in Washington on January 15.
The Go North East driver was driving the Volvo bus on Barmston Way at 7.39am when he failed to give way to Mr Turnbull, who had right of way, Sunderland magistrates heard.
“He was driving a single-decker bus down the A1231 off-slip and the deceased was travelling along Barmston Way on his pedal cycle,” prosecutor Lee Poppett said. “At the junction of the two roads are give way signs.
“It was dark and Mr Turnbull was not wearing reflective clothing and he was wearing dark clothing. He did, however, have a white flashing light on the front handlebars and a flashing red light on the rear. Witnesses did see those flashing lights.”
Mr Poppett said Yates had stopped momentarily to look both ways before pulling out.
A witness was able to sound his horn, warning Yates that he was about to hit Mr Turnbull and a passenger on the bus had also seen him in the moments before the collision.
“It’s at that point that he strikes Mr Turnbull, who subsequently goes under the bus,” Mr Poppett added. “He eventually comes to rest after almost 24 metres.
Mr Yates, when he was interviewed, was unable to see why it took him so long to brake.”
Allowing for stopping distance and reaction time, the court heard, Yates should have been able to stop within 6.06 to 7.22 metres. Instead, he dragged Mr Turnbull under the bus and he was found trapped under the rear-nearside axle.
“It is an emotive case so much is clear,” Mr Poppett said. “I don’t propose to go into the extent of the injuries, but suffice to say it was a tragic case and Mr Turnbull did die.”
Yates, of Davison Terrace, Sacriston, County Durham, had been a bus driver for 30 years at the time of the crash and told police he had driven through the junction between 50 and 100 times.
Lisa Callum, defending, said there was no expert report on behalf of the defence due to problems with legal aid but that Yates’s union had agreed to assist with the cost so that one can be prepared prior to sentence.
“What we are struggling with is the stopping time,” Ms Callum said. “He may have frozen, because his foot has neither pushed the brake or the accelerator. It was very dark.
“He simply hasn’t either made that final check or he hasn’t seen the gentleman.
“He is shattered. He is a broken and shattered man. He doesn’t leave the house. He has lost his job and he doesn’t want another one. He is attending counselling because he is suffering from flashbacks.
“One of the witnesses stopped and stated ‘you’ve killed him’ and he said ‘I know’ and he broke down.”
District Judge Holden said his sentencing powers were insufficient and committed the case to the crown court, adding that no sentence could ever bring comfort Mr Turnbull’s family and friends.
Yates was bailed to appear Newcastle Crown Court on July 31. He was also given an interim driving ban.
A bus driver who failed to stop for 24 metres after colliding with and dragging a cyclist under his single-decker vehicle has pleaded guilty to causing his death.
John Yates, 57, admitted causing death by careless driving after he pulled into the path of 46-year-old grandad Leslie Turnbull at a junction in Washington on January 15.
The Go North East driver was driving the Volvo bus on Barmston Way at 7.39am when he failed to give way to Mr Turnbull, who had right of way, Sunderland magistrates heard.
“He was driving a single-decker bus down the A1231 off-slip and the deceased was travelling along Barmston Way on his pedal cycle,” prosecutor Lee Poppett said. “At the junction of the two roads are give way signs.
“It was dark and Mr Turnbull was not wearing reflective clothing and he was wearing dark clothing. He did, however, have a white flashing light on the front handlebars and a flashing red light on the rear. Witnesses did see those flashing lights.”
Mr Poppett said Yates had stopped momentarily to look both ways before pulling out.
A witness was able to sound his horn, warning Yates that he was about to hit Mr Turnbull and a passenger on the bus had also seen him in the moments before the collision.
“It’s at that point that he strikes Mr Turnbull, who subsequently goes under the bus,” Mr Poppett added. “He eventually comes to rest after almost 24 metres.
Mr Yates, when he was interviewed, was unable to see why it took him so long to brake.”
Allowing for stopping distance and reaction time, the court heard, Yates should have been able to stop within 6.06 to 7.22 metres. Instead, he dragged Mr Turnbull under the bus and he was found trapped under the rear-nearside axle.
“It is an emotive case so much is clear,” Mr Poppett said. “I don’t propose to go into the extent of the injuries, but suffice to say it was a tragic case and Mr Turnbull did die.”
Yates, of Davison Terrace, Sacriston, County Durham, had been a bus driver for 30 years at the time of the crash and told police he had driven through the junction between 50 and 100 times.
Lisa Callum, defending, said there was no expert report on behalf of the defence due to problems with legal aid but that Yates’s union had agreed to assist with the cost so that one can be prepared prior to sentence.
“What we are struggling with is the stopping time,” Ms Callum said. “He may have frozen, because his foot has neither pushed the brake or the accelerator. It was very dark.
“He simply hasn’t either made that final check or he hasn’t seen the gentleman.
“He is shattered. He is a broken and shattered man. He doesn’t leave the house. He has lost his job and he doesn’t want another one. He is attending counselling because he is suffering from flashbacks.
“One of the witnesses stopped and stated ‘you’ve killed him’ and he said ‘I know’ and he broke down.”
District Judge Holden said his sentencing powers were insufficient and committed the case to the crown court, adding that no sentence could ever bring comfort Mr Turnbull’s family and friends.
Yates was bailed to appear Newcastle Crown Court on July 31. He was also given an interim driving ban.
jack smith
Veteran
- Location
- Durham
Driver must be suffering alot too i dont live far from washington either. Cant say i havent had a few bus issues myself....
Drago
Legendary Member
- Location
- Suburban Poshshire
Lisa Callum doesn't half talk some irrelevant and cranky insulting b******s.
spen666
Legendary Member
Can't agree with you.
Everything she has said is both appropriate and relevant to the stage of the proceedings before the court
Pale Rider
Legendary Member
Quite so.
The driver has admitted the offence, but the criminal court is still adversarial - it is a battle.
For that fight to be fair, it is only right and proper that both sides have access to the same firepower.
Ms Callum spoke cogently and well for the driver, which is her role.
Of course, nothing said in court has to be true, but her remarks were all the stronger for being believable.
The prosecution case will be fully opened at sentence, and the victim's family will have the opportunity to make an impact statement or have one read by the prosecutor.
Equally, whoever represents the driver at the sentencing hearing will have their chance to say what can properly be said on his behalf.
G-Zero
Guru
- Location
- Kirkcudbright, SW Scotland
VPS' were read out after the guilty plea was entered, which probably had some sway on the Judge moving the matter to Crown Court for sentencing.
Cut & paste from Sunderland Echo......
The family of tragic cyclist Les Turnbull have told how they came across the horrific aftermath of the crash in which he died.
His partner and his daughter gave victim statements, which were read out in court, about how they decided to drive his route to work, after he failed to turn up to his job as a manager at AWC glassware firm, in Swan Industrial Estate, Washington, on January 15.
Arriving at the scene in Barmston Way, they were met with police tape and flashing lights.
“Myself and my daughter discovered he hadn’t attended for work,” his partner Ann Leonard said.
“We ran towards the emergency vehicles and police tape. They couldn’t say for certain who it was, but that it was a fatality.”
Daughter Jodie Leonard, 27, said: “I had rang my mum and she said he was on his bike. We both panicked.
“I dropped my son off at nursery then headed back to dad’s factory. They hadn’t heard from him. I cried, I knew something was wrong, I decided to drive his route to work.
“A friend told me it was an accident at the back of his house where we were heading.
“I saw police cars and ambulances and yellow tape. I was shouting and crying hysterically.
“We both ran over and under the tape. We were told to sit in the police car. It was the worst feeling ever. He was still under the bus.
“All they told us was there had been a fatality. I remember my mum crying so bad. My whole world has been crushed.”
His partner Ann Leonard, 51, and Les had daughter Jodie when they were first together and rekindled their relationship three years ago.
The popular SAFC fan was also dad to Martin, 22, and stepdad to James, Nicole and Michael.
He was also a son to Norma Carr, 73, a much-loved brother and a grandfather to Gracie, nine, Harley, five, Logan, four, Kylin, three, Cameron, two, and Imogen, eight months.
Ann, who had got back together with Mr Turnbull after the pair split in the early 90s, described the impact his death has had on the family, adding: “This has devastatingly destroyed us.”
“Les always told me I was his first love and he would get me back one day,” she said. “We moved back in together and we were so happy. It was all Les ever wanted for me to be Mrs Leslie Turnbull.”
On the morning of the crash she said the pair enjoyed their usual routine before Mr Turnbull left for work.
“He gave me a cuddle and said ‘see you tonight love’. The rest of that day was horrendous. I remember the house was full of grown men, who couldn’t hold back the tears.
“Les’s mates loved the bones of him and weren’t afraid to show it. Breaking the news to our kids was heartbreaking.
“He was my soulmate, my lover and my best friend. He was my everything, totally. I miss him every second of every day. I wake up on a morning and he’s not there. He’s not in my bed.
“I’ve lost my future with Les. Our kids have lost their dad and stepdad. Our grandkids have lost their grandad. His mum has lost a son and his brothers and sisters have lost a brother.
“Whatever punishment you will get is never enough in my mind. You have your future, but where is mine?”
Jodie said Mr Turnbull had been “the best dad I could ever have hoped for”.
“When my mum and dad got back together, this was something my dad wanted so much,” she said. “We loved family time. Everything was so perfect.
“January 15 was the worst day of my life. Eight weeks after dad died I found out I was expecting a baby.
“It was heart-breaking that I couldn’t break the news to my dad. A few days later I miscarried, was it the stress or was it just meant to be?”
She added that Mr Turnbull had been the perfect grandad to her young son, Logan.
“It breaks my heart that Logan, at three years old has lost his best friend,” Jodie said.
“Logan now always looks for the brightest star in the sky – his grandad.”
puffinbilly
Veteran
Got to feel for both parties.......so sad.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-tyne-33817156
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-tyne-33817156
steveindenmark
Legendary Member
I agree it is sad for everyone involved. As winter is soon to be approaching it is a timely reminder to be well lit and visible. In my opinion, a single flashing light is an add on and I would not use it as my main form of lighting. I wear a vis vest in winter and this is the type of case where it could have made a difference. RIP
400bhp
Guru
weirdo
From the BBC link: "Yates was disqualified from driving for two years and given a 12-month community order."
Two years? For killing someone? That all?
On the hi-vis/reflectives debate, if the headlights of the bus were not shining on the cyclist then reflectives would not have made a difference to his visibility, and if the area was not lit then hi-vis would not have made a difference either.
Two years? For killing someone? That all?
On the hi-vis/reflectives debate, if the headlights of the bus were not shining on the cyclist then reflectives would not have made a difference to his visibility, and if the area was not lit then hi-vis would not have made a difference either.
