Inthenews-jan10

Grandmother fined over death crash
January 10, 2003 08:00 (from the Eastern Daily Press) A grandmother whose car struck a teenage cyclist, causing him fatal head injuries, was fined £135 but spared a driving ban yesterday.

Jaqueline McDonald, 58, pleaded guilty to careless driving on August 23 last year while trying to overtake Jason Salter on the A1066 Mundford road near Thetford Football Club's ground.

Thetford magistrates heard that McDonald, of Saffron Close, Brandon, failed to pull out far enough in her Renault Scenic as she passed the 17-year-old cycling to work. Her vehicle did not even cross the central white line.

Jason, of Rosecroft Way, Thetford, who had dreams of becoming a forensic path-ologist and travelling around the world, "wobbled" and appeared to lose control of his bicycle as McDonald passed him, the court heard.

He fell off his bike, suffering serious head injuries, and died the following day at West Suffolk Hospital, Bury St Edmunds.

Giving her a £135 fine and six penalty points, Bench chairman Robin Chapman said that in no way did the fine represent the cost of his death.

He told her: "We believe there was a momentary lapse and it was a simple manoeuvre which had tragic consequences."

Earlier, the court heard that McDonald was some distance behind Jason and travelling in the same direction when she first saw him.

Martin Ivory, prosecuting, said: "It seems that as Jason was passing Thetford Town Football Club, McDonald began an overtaking man-oeuvre and while executing that there was other, on-coming traffic. She didn't cross the central white line.

"Jason was veering towards the centre of the road and began to wobble as she passed. A collision took place and Jason received injuries that subsequently proved fatal."

In a police interview read to the court, McDonald accepted fully she should have remained behind Jason rather than overtaking.

In mitigation, Jeremy Kendall said McDonald had apologised to the family and was extremely sorry for the accident, which she had done everything to avoid.

Mr Kendall said that while it was within the court's power to ban her from driving, there was evidence that the accident was not entirely her fault.

McDonald was driving home after seeing her two grand-children, travelling at 30mph towards the A11 junction.

"As she was overtaking him she glanced across to gauge whether the manoeuvre was a success. At that stage he was sitting on his seat but reached down to the lefthand side. It appeared that then he lost control of the bike," said Mr Kendall.

"Clearly Jason's family have suffered a huge loss."

McDonald has had a clean licence since 1965 and during that time has had no accidents or convictions. She was also ordered to pay £60 costs.

At the time he died, Jason, who was taking A-levels at Norwich City College, was doing a summer job at Theford industrial estate.