Trucker who killed boy of 8 and his aunt dodges prison
A LORRY driver who ploughed into the back of a car killing the driver and her eight-year- old nephew has been spared jail.
Donald Maguire admitted his careless driving caused the horrific collision and could offer no explanation for not seeing their car stop ahead of him after it lost power.
He smashed into the back of the Ford Focus on the A92 near Kirkcaldy. Monika Lewandowska-Ritchie, 36, who had been driving the car, died later in hospital. Her nephew, Bartlomiej Plachta – known as Bartek – died at the scene.
Another boy, who was also aged eight and a backseat passenger in the car, was severely injured.
A 36-year-old male passenger in the car was unhurt.
Maguire, of Glenrothes, Fife, yesterday appeared in court at Dunfermline where sheriff Craig McSherry ordered him to carry out 300 hours of unpaid work and banned from driving for two years. happened. He told police the Focus had ‘stopped in front of me and put the flashers on’. Maguire claimed there was also a car at the side of him and there was nothing he could do to avoid the collision.
However, he later said that he could not remember what happened and could not explain why he had not braked.
Police investigations showed no evidence of the lorry braking.
Tachograph evidence confirmed the vehicle had been travelling at 50mph and had not slowed down before the collision. Defence advocate Barry Smith said Macguire ‘ absolutely accepts full responsibility for causing the accident and its consequences’ and was currently working as an Amazon warehouse operative.
Following the tragedy, Bartek’s family described him as ‘ a very popular boy who touched the hearts of many’.
Mrs Lewandowska- Ritchie’s family said: ‘Monika was a loving wife, mother, sister and daughter who was much loved and will be sadly missed by all who knew and cared for her.’