A lorry driver who accidentally knocked down and killed a cyclist was a former community first responder who had previously had a near miss when a woman stepped in front of his truck.

Andrew Darkin, 50, from Thorgam Court, Grimsby, was jailed for eight months at Hull Crown Court on Friday, after pleading guilty to one count of causing death by careless driving.

He was said to have momentarily lost concentration and hit Pat Field, 55, from Willerby, as he rode home along the cycle lanes on Anlaby Road, Hull, on July 25, 2019.

However, press reports have now surfaced which show how Darkin narrowly missed hitting a woman who stepped in front of his 44-tonne truck in Wales in August 2016 while he was making a delivery.

The distressed woman, who was later removed from the road by neighbours, appeared out of nowhere and sat down in front of his truck.

Darkin, who was interviewed by The Daily Post newspaper after releasing dashcam footage of the incident, said at the time: “I was driving a 44-tonne articulated lorry.

“If I’d hit her, she’d have been dead and I would have been the one up in court for it.

“The whole incident lasted around five minutes but I withheld some of the footage as it is not my intention to humiliate her.

“I just want her to realise how close a call she had in the hope that she’ll think twice before doing it again.”

It also emerged today that Darkin previously volunteered with the Lincolnshire Community Assistance Team (LCAT), which is a group of trained volunteers called out by the emergency services to help with incidents.

In his Facebook profile picture Darkin is seen proudly posing in his high-vis jacket with a first response badge on it.

However, the group said he was no longer associated with them after "leaving under a bit of a shadow."

A spokesman for the group said: "He has not been part of this group for a few years. He's nothing to do with us. He left under a bit of a shadow. He's a past member."

Mr Field's wife Melanie, in a victim impact statement to the court, said how her husband had so much to look forward to, as they were looking forward to celebrating their daughter's wedding in Florida, which had been due to happen two months after his death.

Daughter Zoe, in her statement, said her dad had not only missed her wedding day, but also the subsequent birth of his first biological grandchild Zac Patrick, born in January this year.

She said: "My son would have been my dad's first biological grandchild.

"He carries my dad's name, but he will never have the privilege to meet him, never get to know him, never receive the love that my dad gave me all his life."

https://www.hulldailymail.co.uk/news/hull-east-yorkshire-news/lorry-driver-jailed-over-fatal-5424323

On 18/05/2021 10:43 am, swldx...@gmail.com wrote:
> A lorry driver who accidentally knocked down and killed a cyclist was a former community first responder who had previously had a near miss when a woman stepped in front of his truck.
>
> Andrew Darkin, 50, from Thorgam Court, Grimsby, was jailed for eight months at Hull Crown Court on Friday, after pleading guilty to one count of causing death by careless driving.
>
> He was said to have momentarily lost concentration and hit Pat Field, 55, from Willerby, as he rode home along the cycle lanes on Anlaby Road, Hull, on July 25, 2019.
>
> However, press reports have now surfaced which show how Darkin narrowly missed hitting a woman who stepped in front of his 44-tonne truck in Wales in August 2016 while he was making a delivery.
>
> The distressed woman, who was later removed from the road by neighbours, appeared out of nowhere and sat down in front of his truck.
>
> Darkin, who was interviewed by The Daily Post newspaper after releasing dashcam footage of the incident, said at the time: “I was driving a 44-tonne articulated lorry.
>
> “If I’d hit her, she’d have been dead and I would have been the one up in court for it.
>
> “The whole incident lasted around five minutes but I withheld some of the footage as it is not my intention to humiliate her.
>
> “I just want her to realise how close a call she had in the hope that she’ll think twice before doing it again.”
>
> It also emerged today that Darkin previously volunteered with the Lincolnshire Community Assistance Team (LCAT), which is a group of trained volunteers called out by the emergency services to help with incidents.
>
> In his Facebook profile picture Darkin is seen proudly posing in his high-vis jacket with a first response badge on it.
>
> However, the group said he was no longer associated with them after "leaving under a bit of a shadow."
>
> A spokesman for the group said: "He has not been part of this group for a few years. He's nothing to do with us. He left under a bit of a shadow. He's a past member."
>
> Mr Field's wife Melanie, in a victim impact statement to the court, said how her husband had so much to look forward to, as they were looking forward to celebrating their daughter's wedding in Florida, which had been due to happen two months after his death.
>
> Daughter Zoe, in her statement, said her dad had not only missed her wedding day, but also the subsequent birth of his first biological grandchild Zac Patrick, born in January this year.
>
> She said: "My son would have been my dad's first biological grandchild.
>
> "He carries my dad's name, but he will never have the privilege to meet him, never get to know him, never receive the love that my dad gave me all his life."
>
> https://www.hulldailymail.co.uk/news/hull-east-yorkshire-news/lorry-driver-jailed-over-fatal-5424323

Is there a sign like this in Anlaby Road?

If there isn't, perhaps there should be; it seems to come up again and
again as the location of serious traffic accidents and similar.

<https://www.roads.org.uk/sites/default/files/blog/2017/accident-black-spot/closeup.jpg>