‘Careless’ driver killed pedestrian as he sped along Lincolnshire road

A "careless" speeding driver killed a pedestrian who was crossing the road.

Richard Gregory was driving west on Anchor Lane, Ingoldmells, [1]towards the A52 when his Mercedes E-Class convertible collided with Gary Stephens on Saturday, August 12, 2023 [2].

Mr Stephens, who was 63 and from Forest Town in Mansfield, had been crossing the road near Hardy's Animal Farm at the time of the incident. Advertisement Advertisement

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An investigation by Lincolnshire Police found that Gregory, of Chapelfield Crescent, Thorpe Hesley, Rotherham, had turned left out of The Chase and Grange Holiday Centre onto Anchor Lane.

It emerged that Gregory had accelerated to around 50mph on the road which had a 40mph speed limit when the front offside of his E-Class struck Mr Stephens.

The impact caused Mr Stephens to be thrown into the air, striking the windscreen, before landing on the road [3]. He died at the scene.

Whilst Mr Stephens may have been initially obscured by other vehicles as he crossed, police found that Gregory's speed meant he would not have been able to avoid the collision.

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Technical examinations of the vehicle also found there were no issues that contributed to the collision.

During a police interview Gregory stated that he had passed a couple of oncoming cars and Mr Stephens only came into view at the last moment.

He also stated that he had braked and swerved to try and avoid the collision.

Gregory was found guilty of causing death by careless driving [4] following a trial at Lincoln Crown Court.

The 58-year-old appeared before court on Friday (February 27), where he was handed a six-months sentence, suspended for one year.

He was also banned from driving for 12 months. Advertisement Advertisement

Detective Sergeant Adam Doona, from our Serious Collision Investigation Unit, said: "This collision was due to the careless driving of Gregory when he chose to accelerate up to about 50 mph in a 40mph limit.

"This choice meant that there was no way for Gregory to avoid colliding with Mr Stephens, and a higher speed will always cause more severe injuries, particularly to a pedestrian."

He added: "However, speed limits are just that - they are not a target.

"Drivers should always ensure that the speed they are travelling at is within the limit and suitable for all the conditions present.

"In busy areas, particularly where there may be pedestrians, the actual permitted limit may not be suitable at the time you are travelling on it.

"Therefore, you should adjust your speed accordingly, to ensure the safety of yourself and other road users."

References

^ Ingoldmells, (www.lincolnshirelive.co.uk)
^ Saturday, August 12, 2023 (www.lincolnshirelive.co.uk)
^ thrown into the air, striking the windscreen, before landing on the road (www.lincolnshirelive.co.uk)
^ causing death by careless driving (www.lincolnshirelive.co.uk)