A Norfolk lorry driver who was distracted at the wheel by his sat-nav has been handed a four-and-a-half year prison sentence following a fatal crash on the M25 earlier this year. David Kerry, 43, of, Kings Lynn, Norfolk, pleaded guilty to causing death by dangerous driving at Maidstone Crown Court on Friday 1 November 2013. The incident took place around 1015am on Wednesday 13 February on the clockwise carriageway of the M25 between junctions 4 and 5, when Kerrys lorry collided with three cars, one of which, a Ford C-Max, was being driven by David Grossmith from Canvey Island, who died at the scene. Maidstone Court heard how Kerry had travelled across the Dartford Crossing onto the Surrey-bound lane one of the M25. Not sure whether to take the A21 or the M25 where the road splits, Kerry looked at his sat-nav and tried to adjust the view. As he looked up he noticed the traffic had stopped in his lane and motorists in the other two lanes were stopping. Kerry told the court he started to brake and tried to avoid his lorry from swerving. He pulled to the hard shoulder as he knew he was not going to stop in the distance he had. Kerry’s lorry collided into the back of the Ford C-Max, which subsequently collided with two other cars. He was sentenced to four years and six months in jail and banned from driving for six years, with a requirement to take an extended re-test. DC David Holmes, of the Kent Police Serious Collision Investigation Unit, said: ‘We believe Kerry had been distracted by using his hands-free mobile phone. He then took his eyes off the road to look at his sat-nav and during this time the traffic in front of him had come to a stop. ‘This fatal collision was caused as a result of Kerry getting distracted at the wheel.”
Posted on: Wed, 06 Nov 2013 12:20:18 +0000
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