Trucker made "judgement error."

NOW FOUND GUILTY - SEE BELOW[/b]
North Stainmore death crash driver made ‘judgement error.’
A lorry driver accused of causing a fatal crash in ■■■■■■■ said he made an “error of judgement” on a smoky road.
Carlisle Crown Court also heard that driver Colin Pattison said he could not remember if he applied the brake when driving into the smoke on the A66.
Soldiers Jim Austin and David Gartland were in an Army ambulance which struck a broken-down vehicle before Mr Pattison’s lorry hit them.
Mr Pattison, 53, denies two counts of causing death by dangerous driving.
The jury has also been asked to consider two alternative charges of causing death by careless driving, which Mr Pattison also denies.
The court was told the smoke from a broken-down lorry reduced visibility to just a few feet minutes before the crash on the A66 near North Stainmore, on 1 September 2011.
Pte Austin, 24, from Catterick, North Yorkshire, and L/Sgt Gartland, 40, from Ashton-under-Lyne, Greater Manchester, were returning to Catterick Garrison when the crash happened. Both men died at the scene.
Tim Evans, prosecuting, said Mr Pattison did not slow down efficiently enough for the conditions when other drivers had slowed down to 5 or 10mph and was driving at an estimated 30-35mph.
Mr Pattison, of Newclose Lane, Goole, East Yorkshire, said: "I thought the speed I was doing was the correct speed, I didn’t know how dense the smoke was until I got into it.
“I admit I made an error of judgement on the smoke.”
He added that he assumed the smoke was caused by a field fire which he would pass through in seconds before driving back out into sunshine.
In his closing statement, the defence barrister argued that the situation on the A66 had been made dangerous by the broken down lorry and that it was not dangerous driving that had caused the accident.
The barrister added Mr Pattison was travelling well within the speed limit.
The trial continues. 6/9/13.
LATEST:[/b]
Lorry driver Colin Pattison has been found guilty of causing the death by careless driving of two soldiers on the A66 in ■■■■■■■■
The 53-year-old from East Yorkshire faced two counts of causing death by dangerous driving but was found guilty of the less serious charges.
He was bailed to return to Carlisle Crown Court for sentencing in October.
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Been following this and hope he gets off with it. Sometimes accidents are just that, accidents.

ajt:
Been following this and hope he gets off with it. Sometimes accidents are just that, accidents.

But he says he didn’t know how dense the smoke was until he got into it.
That means he wasn’t driving at a safe speed for the conditions.

Rip to the 2 soldiers but if they were still alive, would they be prosecuted for dangerous driving seeing as they crashed the ambulance into the broken down vehicle? Me thinks not. Hope he gets off

kitbuilder123:
Rip to the 2 soldiers but if they were still alive, would they be prosecuted for dangerous driving seeing as they crashed the ambulance into the broken down vehicle? Me thinks not. Hope he gets off

How can you speculate on what would or would not have happened to 2 guys that died?

If they had survived the truck driver wouldn’t be on trial for causing their death!
I really despair of some people’s ‘they’re just picking on lorry drivers again’ attitude on here sometimes.

The lorry driver admitted he’s made an error of judgement, instead of reacting to the situation he could see before him, he made an assumption on it - a hunch - a guess. He got it wrong and is hence quite rightly on trial for it. As a professional driver he should have known better.

RIP to the two soldiers.

Driver has held his hands up IMHO, he made an error and that caused two people to die. I think the careless driving thing could stick.

a related question, if everyone else is doing 5-10 mph why would you tank on at 30?

Bale Bandit:
a related question, if everyone else is doing 5-10 mph why would you tank on at 30?

This…

People are wrong for wanting him ‘off’ with it, he’s admitted the mistake so should surely pay a price, crazy ■■■■■■■ for tanking through smoke not knowing what is either in it or at the other side of it

He wasn’t speeding, the issue is speed for the conditions which is all down to human judgment.
The army lads, they crashed into the first lorry so thats a clear indication the conditions at that point were exceptional.

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UPDATED 7/9/13:[/b]
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Lorry driver Colin Pattison has been found guilty of causing the death by careless driving of two soldiers on the A66 in ■■■■■■■■
The 53-year-old from East Yorkshire faced two counts of causing death by dangerous driving but was found guilty of the less serious charges.
He was bailed to return to Carlisle Crown Court for sentencing in October.
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