The Low Sun Deaths

This page lists fatalities which occurred as a result of being struck by vehicles whose drivers claimed not to have seen the victims because of being dazzled by sun. They are broken down by outcome (no charges brought, found not guilty, pleaded guilty, and found guilty) and by victim circumstances at the time of the collision (not in a motor vehicle, in a motor vehicle). It represents some fairly thorough internet-based research but is not expected to be exhaustive.

Streetview links are provided where there is reasonable confidence as to the actual collision location.

Cases where no charges were brought

In the following cases, the CPS did not commence proceedings against any driver involved.

Where the victim was not in a motor vehicle:

  • Anthony Maynard. Killed in collision on 3 July 2008 at 20:00 on the A1430 near Bix while cycling. Struck from behind by van, heading northwest. Driver was arrested on suspicion of causing death by dangerous driving and bailed, but the charge was dropped in November 2008. References: Get Reading [18 Nov 08, 26 Nov], Henley Standard [13 Jul 2008], Reading Cycling Club [7 Feb 09], Road Justice.
  • James Jamieson. Killed in collision on 29 August 2014 on Worting Road, Basingstoke while crossing the road on foot. Struck by car driven by Leigh Fuller, heading east. Coroner recorded verdict of accidental death in January 2015. References: Basingstoke Gazette [25 Jan 2015].

Where the victim was in a motor vehicle:

None known.

Cases where defendants were found not guilty of causing death

In the following cases, the driver in each case was charged with causing the death of the victim but was found not guilty. Where multiple collisions occurred, at least one driver was charged with causing death, and no drivers were found guilty.

Where the victim was not in a motor vehicle:

  • Peter Stubbs. Died on 5 May 2010 after sustaining fatal injuries in collision on 4 May at 19:50 on the A20 London Road at Wrotham Hill while cycling. Struck from behind by car driven by Charlie Willbourne, heading northwest. Willbourne pleaded not guilty to causing death by dangerous driving; two juries failed to reach a verdict in [unknown date] and June 2011, after which the charge was dropped in July 2011. References: Gravesend Reporter [13 May 2010], Kent and Sussex Courier [9 Jun 2010, 10 Jun, 14 Jun], Kent Online [8 May 2010, 11 May, 13 May; 8 Jun 2011, 9 Jun, 13 Jun], Sevenoaks Chronicle [17 Jun 2011, 22 Jul, 26 Jul, 29 Jul, 29 Jul, 5 Aug, 8 Aug], Road Justice.
  • Ivor Greenslade. Killed in collision on 17 October 2010 on the A30 at Wheddon Cross while retrieving a spare wheel from his boot. Struck by HGV driven by Paul Hollier. Hollier was found not guilty in January 2012 of causing death by careless driving. References: Bristol Post [4 Jan 2012, 6 Jan], The Cornishman [5 Jan 2012], West Morning News [4 Jan 2012, 6 Jan].
  • David Noble. Killed in collision on 20 October 2010 at 09:50 on Poulton Road, Spital while cycling. Struck from behind by car driven by James McQuinn, heading south. McQuinn was found not guilty in November 2011 of causing death by careless driving. References: Liverpool Echo [15 Nov 2011], The Star [10 Sep 2011], Wirral Globe [16 Nov 2011].
  • Arthur Lakin. Killed in collision on 25 October 2010 at 15:40 on Rosslyn Road, Watford while crossing the road on foot. Struck by car driven by Raymond Carroll. Carroll was found not guilty in January 2012 of causing death by careless driving. References: Watford Observer [27 Jan 2012, 28 Jan].
  • Christian and Nicholas Townend. Killed in collision on 5 December 2010 at 14:55 on the A595 in Cumbria while cycling. Struck from behind by coach driven by Robert Wightman, heading southwest. Wightman was found not guilty in June 2012 of causing death by dangerous or careless driving. References: BBC [6 Dec 2010, 22 Jun 2012], Cumberland News [5 Dec 2010, 6 Dec, 22 Jun 2012], Road Justice.
  • Maria Micklethwaite Killed in collision on 13 January 2012 at 15:20 at junction of Slack Lane and Church Lane in South Hiendly while cycling. Struck by car driven by Jeffrey Walton, heading southwest. Walton was found not guilty in August 2013 of causing death by careless driving. References: Hemsworth and South Elmsall Express [27 Aug 2013], The Star [17 Jan 2012], Yorkshire Evening Post [23 Jan 2013], Road Justice.
  • John Searle. Killed in multiple collisions on 17 October 2012 at 08:20 on the B4368 Corvedale Road near Craven Arms while cycling. Struck by a car driven by Pamela Willocks and a van driven by Russell Davies, plus a third car driven by an unnamed woman, all heading east. Willocks and Davies were both found not guilty in November 2014 of causing death by careless driving. References: Shropshire Star [6 Nov 2014, 7 Nov, 14 Nov, 17 Nov].
  • Stan Coates. Killed in multiple collisions on 26 October 2012 at 16:00 on Burdon Lane in Sunderland while cycling and while waiting at the roadside for an ambulance. Struck by cars driven by Michael Elton and Edward Peverley (the latter also striking Elton), heading  Elton and Peverley were both found not guilty in October 2014 of causing death by careless driving, although Elton was found guilty of careless driving. References: Chronicle Live [15 Oct 2014], Sunderland Echo [23 Oct 2014].
  • Ray Elsmore. Killed in collision on 5 December 2012 at 15:05 on Tempest Avenue, Waterlooville while working as a lollipop man. Struck by car driven by Lauren Paul. Paul pleaded not guilty to causing death by careless driving; two juries failed to reach a verdict in November 2013 and May 2014, after which the charge was dropped in June 2014. References: BBC [6 Dec 2012; 11 Nov 2013; 23 Jun 2014], The News [1 Jul 2013, 13 Nov; 28 May 2014, 30 May, 23 Jun, 8 Jul, 22 Oct].
  • David Irving. Killed in multiple collisions on 17 December 2012 at 0838 on Mountbatten Way, Southampton. Struck from behind by minibus driven by Steven Petterson and a car driven by an unnamed man, heading southeast. Petterson was found not guilty in January 2014 of causing death by driving without due care and attention; the car driver was arrested on suspicion of causing death by careless driving but no charges were brought in March 2013 following bail. References: The Argus [18 Dec 2012], Bournemouth Echo [24 Dec 2012; 25 Mar 2013], Daily Echo [17 Dec 2012, 24 Dec; 2 Jul 2013, 3 Sep; 20 Jan 2014, 24 Jan, 25 Jan, 29 Jan, 30 Jan, 30 Jan, 15 May, 15 May], Southampton Cycling Campaign [10 Feb 2014], Road Justice.
  • Colin Crowther. Killed in collision on 16 January 2014 at 14:30 on Old London Road, Copdock while cycling. Struck from behind by car driven by Sam Burrows, heading southwest. Burrows was found not guilty in February 2015 of causing death by careless driving. References: East Anglian Daily Times [17 Jan 2014, 18 Jan, 20 Jan, 19 Aug 2014; 3 Feb 2015, 5 Feb].

Where the victim was in a motor vehicle:

None known.

Cases where drivers pleaded guilty to causing death

In the following cases, the driver was charged with causing the victim’s death and pleaded guilty. These include cases where the driver was charged with causing death by dangerous driving and was found not guilty of that offence, but pleaded guilty to the lesser offence of causing death by careless driving.

Where the victim was not in a motor vehicle:

  • Edna Bytheway. Suffered fatal injuries in collision on 9 January 2009 at 15:40 on The Green, Darlalston while crossing the road on foot. Struck by a car driven by Hiralal Patel, heading south. Patel pleaded guilty to causing death by careless driving. He was sentenced in April 2010 to 150 hours’ unpaid work, an 18 month driving ban, and £1200 costs. References: Birmingham Mail [19 Mar 2010, 17 Apr], Express and Star [12 Apr 2010, 16 Apr].
  • Kate Auchterlonie. Killed in collision on 17 February 2009 at 09:15 on either the A469 or B4263 near Caerphilly. Struck from behind by a car driven by Howard Owen. Owen pleaded guilty to causing death by careless driving. He was sentenced in August 2009 to 9 months’ imprisonment suspended for two years, 150 hours’ community service and a 24 month driving ban. References: BBC [14 Aug 2009], Caerphilly Observer [14 Aug 2009], The Telegraph [14 Aug 2009], Wales Online [19 Feb 2009, 28 Feb].
  • Jane Mitchinson. Killed in collision on 16 January 2011 at 09:50 on Ashwells Road, Pilgrims Hatch while riding a horse. Struck by a van driven by Hugh Boyle. Boyle pleaded guilty to causing death by dangerous driving. He was sentenced in February 2012 to eight months’ imprisonment suspended for two years, 300 hours’ unpaid work, a three year driving ban and £500 costs. References: BBC [16 Jan 2011, 17 Jan], Brentwood Gazette [13 Feb 2012], Brentwood Weekly News [7 Feb 2012], Eastern Daily Press [17 Jan 2011], Essex Chronicle [20 Oct 2011], Horse and Hound [17 Jan 2011], Romford Recorder [11 Feb 2012].
  • Rob Jefferies. Killed in collision on 26 May 2011 on the A351 in Wareham while cycling. Struck from behind by car driven by Lee Cahill, heading northwest. Cahill pleaded guilty to causing death by careless driving. He was sentenced in January 2012 was 200 hours’ unpaid work, an 18 month driving ban and a retest, and £85 costs. References: Bournemouth Echo [17 Dec 2011; 13 Jan 2012].
  • Cissie Carr. Sustained fatal injuries in collision on 1 November 2011 at 14:40 on West Percy Street in North Shields while crossing the road on foot. Struck by a car driven by Gary Hollister. Hollister pleaded guilty to causing death by careless driving. He was sentenced in March 2012 to a 12 month community order, an 18 month driving ban and a 6 month curfew. References: BBC [7 Nov 2011], Chronicle Live [28 Mar 2012].
  • Brian Webster. Sustained fatal injuries in collision on 12 January 2012 at 12:30 on Dimity Street in Johnstone while crossing the road on foot. Struck by a van driven by David Gledhill. Gledhill pleaded guilty to causing death by careless driving and driving while uninsured. He was sentenced in July 2014 to 7 months’ imprisonment, a 36 month driving ban and an extended retest. References: BBC [14 Jan 2012; 4 Jun 2014, 4 Jul 2014].
  • Stewart Gandy. Killed in collision on 12 November 2013 at 13:30 on Baddington Bridge on the A530 near Nantwich while cycling. Struck from behind by HGV driven by Paul Byrne, heading southwest. Byrne pleaded guilty to causing death by careless driving but was found not guilty on 11 March 2015 of causing death dangerous driving. References: Crewe Chronicle [21 May 2014, 25 Feb 2015, 26 Feb, 27 Feb, 3 Mar, 11 Mar], Nantwich News [16 Dec 2013, 12 May 2014], Road.cc [13 Mar 2015].
  • William Lock. Sustained fatal injuries in collision on 11 January 2014 on New Road, South Molton, Devon, while crossing the road on a mobility scooter. Struck by car driven by Ronald Webber. Webber pleaded guilty to causing death by careless driving. He was sentenced in February 2015 to 6 months’ imprisonment suspended for two years and was banned from driving for three years. References on Delicious.
  • Janet Hagerty. Sustained fatal injuries in collision on 26 February 2014 at the junction of Preston Road and Kensington Road in Abingdon whilst cycling. Struck by car driven by Barry Godfrey. Godfrey pleaded guilty to causing death by careless driving. He was sentenced in December 2014 to 6 months’ imprisonment suspended for two years, 180 hours’ unpaid work, 6 months’ supervision and 5 days’ restorative justice. References: Oxford Mail [27 Feb 2014, 7 Mar], Oxford Times [5 Dec 2014].

Where the victim was in a motor vehicle:

  • Archibald Graham. Killed in collision on 7 May 2013 at 05:50 on the A737 St James Interchange near Paisley while in a broken-down vehicle partially off the carriageway. Struck from behind by an HGV driven by Andrew Dominick, heading east. Dominick pleaded guilty to causing death by careless driving. He was sentenced in October 2014 to 170 hours’ unpaid work, a 24 month driving ban and a retest. References: BBC [24 Nov 2014], Daily Record [16 Oct 2014], Greenock Telegraph [16 Oct 2014, 25 Nov], Herald Scotland [15 Oct 2014, 25 Nov], STV [15 Oct 2014].

Cases where defendants were found guilty of causing death

In the following cases, the driver was charged with causing the victim’s death and was found guilty in court. These include cases where the driver was charged with causing death by dangerous driving and was found not guilty of that offence, but was found guilty of the lesser charge of causing death by careless driving.

Where the victim was not in a motor vehicle:

Where the victim was in a motor vehicle:

  • Kenneth Brereton. Died on 24 February 2013 after sustaining fatal injuries in collision on 6 February 2013 on the A5156 at Wrexham while in a broken-down vehicle. Struck by a van driven by Robert Jones. Jones was found not guilty of causing death by dangerous driving, but guilty of causing death by careless driving. He was sentenced in November 2014 to 200 hours’ unpaid work and an 18 month driving ban. References: Daily Post [26 Feb 2013; 24 Nov 2014, 25 Nov, 26 Nov], Shropshire Star [25 Nov 2014].

Timeline

The following chart shows the aforementioned legal outcomes on a timeline. Note that whilst the cases above are listed by victim, the chart shows outcome by driver involved. Some incidents involve multiple drivers. (Clicking the picture opens a larger version.)

low-sun-deaths