A lorry driver who ran over and killed a Canadian oil tycoon taking part in a veteran car rally has been jailed, after a court heard he was making a phone call at the time of the crash.
Michael Black, 52, was handed a 20-month prison sentence at Guildford Crown Court on Wednesday, after he was found guilty of causing death by careless driving.
Black, from Crawley in West Sussex, was driving a tipper lorry while working to convert the M23 into a “smart motorway”, when he bore down on the 1903 Knox car, just after 10am on 3 November 2019.
Ronald Carey, 80, and his wife Billi had travelled from Canada to take part in the annual London to Brighton Veteran Car Run, when Carey mistakenly took the slip road for the M23, instead of the designated route on the A23.
The 118-year-old vintage car he was driving had no front windscreen, door or roof, and a top speed of around 30mph, the court was told.
When they were hit by Black’s Scania lorry, the couple were travelling at 21mph in the third of four lanes, near Merstham, Surrey, the court heard.
Both the driver of the vintage car and the passenger were thrown from the vehicle as a result of the crash, police said.
Carey suffered fatal injuries and was pronounced dead at the scene, while his wife was air-lifted to hospital with life-threatening head injuries.
Detectives analysed Black’s mobile phone and discovered a phone call was being made to a friend at the time of the collision. He said he did not know it was illegal to “tap” a mobile phone while driving.
Black, of Peppard Way, told the jury that a phenomenon known as “looming” – which causes distant objects to appear to hover – caused him to not notice the slower vehicle until it was too late to stop.
Referencing Ms Brady’s victim impact statement, Scott Brady, prosecuting, told the sentencing hearing on Wednesday: “The last thing she remembered was being in jovial conversation with her husband over a small inside joke.
“She gives an account of her husband: he was a wonderful smart vibrant man who achieved much success in his years on this Earth.
“He was by every measure a self-made man. He was an inventor, businessman, collector, historian, philanthropist, financial provider, protector, and most importantly a loving husband, father, stepfather and grandfather. He had an immensely young spirit.”
His widow said that her life had been “dramatically altered”, adding: “I've heard it said many times that time will heal, but it's not true. Ron's death may be further removed from the present but the feeling of loss, sadness and loneliness is every bit as real and painful today.
“On the day of his death, I lost my husband, my best friend and my future.”
Michael Rawlinson, in mitigation, said that Black was “not just of a good character, but of positive character”, adding that he had worked for HMRC and had “an exemplary driving record for many years driving professionally”.
“He has driven coach loads of people, kids, celebrities, without incident without the nearest suggestion his driving was irresponsible never mind dangerous or careless,” Mr Rawlinson said. “This case shows a short lapse in otherwise high standards in an otherwise blameless life can have devastating consequences.”
While Black was cleared of a more serious charge of causing death by dangerous driving, Judge Patricia Lees jailed him for 20 months, and disqualified him from driving for 22 months.
The judge described the case as “a tragedy for all involved”.
Additional reporting by SWNS
