‘Distracted’ driver took life of young pilot
A‘DISTRACTED’ lorry driver caused a fatal motorway crash moments after ending a hands free call.
Scarisbrick man Malcolm Joseph Clarkson was jailed after taking the life of a promising RAF pilot who had stopped to help those involved in an earlier collision.
Scott McConnell, of Barrow in Furness, Cumbria, died when the white Scania lorry being driven by Clarkson drove into the back of his Volkswagen at 10.15pm on November 19, 2019.
The collision, on the M40 near Stratford-upon-Avon, involved four vehicles and occurred in two stages, starting when a Peugeot Partner van collided with the back of a Mann lorry in lane 1 of the M40.
The Peugeot was left damaged in lane one and the Mann lorry pulled up onto the hard shoulder ahead to await assistance.
Mr McConnell came across the scene and stopped behind the
Peugeot straddling the hard shoulder and lane one. He then sat in the front of his car and called the emergency services and was on the phone to a Warwickshire Police call handler when his car was struck from behind by Clarkson’s lorry.
The 26-year-old suffered fatal injuries during the collision and the Peugeot driver who was believed to have been standing on the hard shoulder suffered serious injuries including a fracture to his shoulder as well as cuts and bruises.
Police officers performed CPR on Mr McConnell until paramedics arrived but he was unable to regain consciousness and died the following morning in hospital.
Clarkson, 44, and of Cat Tail Lane in Scarisbrick, Lancashire, pleaded guilty to causing death by dangerous driving at Warwick Crown Court in January and was sentenced to three years and six months at Warwick Crown Court this month.
He has also been banned from driving for six years nine months upon his release.
Speaking after the sentence PSI Liam Ryan said “This is a particularly tragic case as Scott was trying to protect another driver when he was killed.
“The collision occurred when Malcolm Clarkson had just finished speaking to his mum on the hands free system in the cab. The Forensic Collision Investigation report concluded that the Scania braked just 24 metres or one second prior to the impact.
“There is no doubt that being on the phone hands free moments before the collision distracted Clarkson to the extent that he was unable to react to the road ahead as he was not giving it his full attention.
“This had fatal consequences for Scott, a young, promising adult who was doing what he could to help another road user.
“Whilst the sentence demonstrates the seriousness of this offence, and Scott’s family can be proud of his actions, unfortunately nothing can bring Scott back to his family.”