Craigavon lorry driver fined £150 after fatal road crash

Imposing the fine and three penalty points on 64-year-old Rimantas Milasauskas at Lisburn Magistrates Court on Monday (November 21), District Judge Rosie Watters said it was “clear from the reports” from both the police and a forensic science engineer “that speed wasn’t a cause of the accident” which claimed the life of Alan Jones.

The self-employed joiner was on his way to work at around 7am on December 17, 2019 when his van was involved in a collision with the lorry being driven by Milasauskas on the Ballyutoag Road near Crumlin in Co Antrim.

The court was told that when accident investigators checked the tachograph of the lorry, they found that the defendant had been driving at 54 mph in the 40 zone but a prosecuting lawyer highlighted that speed was not a contributing factor in the tragic incident.

Defence solicitor Ciaran Steele said Milasauskas, whose address was given as Bluestone Hall in Craigavon, “has asked me to pass on his condolences” to the family of Mr Jones, adding that the defendant had been a lorry driver for 40 years.

The solicitor told the court he was not trying to take away from the grief of Mr Jones’ family but described the incident as being “traumatic” for the defendant.

Imposing the fine and points in the “obviously tragic case”, District Judge Watters allowed Milasauskas eight weeks to pay the fine imposed.