Killed by driver on his phone
A VEHICLE recovery driver killed a woman by smashing into her car as he checked his mobile phone.
David Shields rammed into the back of 66-year-old missionary worker Yvonne Blackman’s vehicle in Dumfries last year.
Footage taken from the 34-year-old’s lorry showed him looking at his phone for 18 seconds in the lead-up to the fatal collision.
Mrs Blackman, from Lockerbie, Dumfriesshire, never recovered from chest and spinal injuries and died weeks later in hospital.
A VEHICLE recovery driver killed a missionary worker by ramming into her car as he looked at his mobile phone.
David Shields crashed into the back of Yvonne Blackman’s vehicle on the A75 in Dumfries in February 2017.
The 66-year-old woman was badly injured and died weeks later in hospital.
Damning footage taken from Shields’s lorry captured him focusing on his phone for a full 18 seconds in the lead-up to the fatal smash.
He is facing a lengthy jail-term after appearing at the High Court in Glasgow yesterday.
Shields – who had a previous conviction for speeding – pleaded guilty to a charge of causing death by dangerous driving.
The 34-year-old was remanded in custody pending sentencing next month.
Mrs Blackman, of Lockerbie, Dumfriesshire, was on her way to meet friends to discuss possible missionary work when tragedy struck.
The mother of four got caught in heavy traffic on the A75 Gretna to Stranraer road at 8.30am on February 8, 2017. Shields was driving in the area while working for 911 Rescue Recovery.
He met the same line of traffic – before ploughing into the back of Mrs Blackman’s Toyota Yaris.
Prosecutor Liam Ewing said: ‘Witnesses noted that the lorry did not appear to brake until a short distance before the collision, at which time it skidded or snaked.’
Mrs Blackman’s car hit a BMW in front before spinning to a halt. The pensioner was found unconscious in her car – as Shields ‘sobbed’ at the roadside.
Mr Ewing said: ‘He stated he had left Stoke and was driving to Kilmarnock. He did not say what caused the collision.’
Mrs Blackman was taken to hospital with serious spinal injuries and multiple rib fractures.
The court was told she passed away two weeks later on February 23. The cause of death was chest and spinal injuries due to the crash.
Shields, of Drognan, Ayrshire, was later questioned by police.
He initially said he had noticed ‘at the last second’ that the ‘traffic was not moving’.
Shields added: ‘There were no brake or hazard lights on the vehicle in front. I slammed the brakes on, slid and collided.’
Crash investigators later stated Shields had a potential distance of 280 yards to stop and avoid the smash.
This was deemed ‘sufficient’ to spot any car ahead.
But examination of the seven cameras in his cab showed his ‘attention had been on a dashmounted mobile telephone’.
Mr Ewing said: ‘An analysis established he had been focusing on the phone... therefore failing to maintain proper observations of the road ahead.
‘[This was] for a period of 18 seconds prior to reacting to the presence of the car.’
The footage was yesterday shown in court. Shields appeared to break down as it was played.
He is seen driving while checking the phone before his cab shudders as it hits Mrs Blackman’s car.
It is not known what he was doing on his mobile at the time.
Part of the charge to which Shields pleaded guilty stated he did ‘repeatedly interact with and focus your attention’ on a phone.
Shields’s defence lawyer, John Scullion, QC, said: ‘He accepts full responsibility for the death and bitterly regrets driving as he did.’
Lady Stacey banned him from the road as sentencing was deferred for reports.
‘The lorry skidded and snaked’