Wakefield man who caused A19 Crathorne crash fined

Nathan Armitage was given six penalty points after crashing into the lorry last December, causing both of their loads to be strewn across the road. He appeared before Teesside Magistrates' Court [1] on Thursday (July 17) where he admitted driving without due care or attention. Armitage was at the wheel of a HGV when he crashed into a lorry parked in a lay-by on the A19 between the A67 Crathorne junction and the Parkway Interchange in the early hours of December 17.

The lorry Armitage was driving in the crash. (Image: Terry Blackburn) Both HGVs were badly damaged. (Image: Terry Blackburn) Pictures showed both trucks badly damaged with their loads of groceries and sawdust spilled across the carriageway, sparking a major clean-up operation that left the road closed for about 11 hours. Neither Armitage or the driver of the parked lorry who was in his cab at the time, were injured.

Dashcam footage from the 40-year-old's cab showed the HGV slowly off course while travelling at speed. The road had to be shut for hours. (Image: Terry Blackburn) The 40-year-old, of Valley Crescent in the village of Wrenthorpe in Wakefield, West Yorkshire, was fined GBP600 and had six points put on his licence. Investigating officer Sgt Chris Lindsey from Cleveland Police, said: "It's extremely lucky given the damage caused that both of these drivers were not seriously harmed.

This incident led to an operation lasting almost 11 hours with multiple agencies involved and it caused huge disruption to those using the main road networks in the area. "The important message here is that people need to take their responsibilities as a driver seriously, and ensure that they remain diligent and take regular breaks when driving, not only for their own safety but for the safety of other road users. "Not remaining fully aware of the road can have serious consequences, especially when it comes to large, heavy vehicles like lorries.

Fortunately, in this instance, the consequences were not much worse.

Please always ensure that you drive carefully, to help us reduce serious collisions on our roads."

References

^ Teesside Magistrates' Court (www.thenorthernecho.co.uk)