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Trucker is jailed after fatal crash
From the The Wiltshire Gazette and Herald, first published Thursday 12th Jan 2006.
Trucker Mark Kinderman has been jailed for 18 months after falling asleep at the wheel of his lorry and causing a pile-up in which a 55-year-old man died.
The 28-year-old from Mount Pleasant Farm in Manningford Bruce wept on Monday as details of the crash were read to Reading Crown Court, which heard that he wished he had been the one who died.
Kinderman admitted causing death by dangerous driving as he headed for London delivering salad crops for Vitacress in June last year.
Kinderman is a single man who lives at the farm owned by his parents, David and Jill.
A friend of the devout chapel family said he helped out on the family farm and worked as a trucker. He had previously worked at Vigor's, the former butchers in Woodborough.
"He has a lovely girlfriend and he was saving hard," said the friend.
They added: "He is a lovely man and would not do anything deliberately to hurt anyone. He was left gutted after the accident."
The court heard that as Kinderman drove along the M4 close to the M25 slip road near Maidenhead he closed his eyes for just a few seconds before his lorry slammed into the back of Stevan Miles' silver Renault Laguna, sending it flying through the air As the car crashed back on to the road it was crushed under the wheels of Kinderman's HGV before the two vehicles careered into four more cars. Mr Miles, from Alton, in Hampshire, died instantly.
The court was told Kinderman had worked as a lorry driver for six years and had a good driving record, save for one speeding conviction.
Anthony Smith, prosecuting, said Kinderman admitted to police he had fallen asleep at the wheel.
"He said he did not notice any of the signs warning of a 40mph mandatory speed limit or of queuing traffic. He accepted that he had fallen asleep."
Kinderman's uncle, Martin Abbott, a retired Wiltshire police chief superintendent, picked his nephew up from the police station after the accident. Mr Abbott said: "Mark said he had just killed someone's husband and maybe father. He said to me that he wished he could have taken his place."
The prosecution said Kinderman had not exceeded the 60mph limit for his HGV.
Ian Dixey, defending, said: "These cases are always tragic in a number of different ways. Clearly the greatest tragedy is the loss of the life of Mr Miles.
"The first thing I have to say is how bitterly Mr Kinderman regrets what has happened and how he wishes he had not done it."
The fatal crash happened on the day Kinderman returned to work after a three day break during which he helped an uncle decorate a house.
He said teetotaller Kinderman had been at the wheel for only one hour when the accident happened.
Mr Dixey added: "It is a complete mystery to him as to how this happened. He hadn't been working long hours. The only thing he can say is that it was a very, very warm day."
The lawyer said Kinderman came from a large family with seven brothers and sisters. One of his brothers, Tom, is a Wiltshire police officer and his parents are farmers.
Judge Christopher Critchlow said that Kinderman would have to go jail for causing the crash, even though he didn't intend to kill anyone.
The judge said: "As a result there has been tragedy for the deceased and his family. It is tragic for your family too."
Kinderman was also banned from driving for five years.
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