Driver guilty of causing cyclist's death
A pub landlord was today found guilty of causing the death of a top cyclist by dangerous driving. A jury at Norwich Crown Court took two and three-quarter hours to decide Donald Pearce had driven dangerously when he knocked down and killed Zak Carr on the A11 at Wymondham.
A pub landlord was today found guilty of causing the death of a top cyclist by dangerous driving.
A jury at Norwich Crown Court took two and three-quarter hours to decide Donald Pearce had driven dangerously when he knocked down and killed Zak Carr on the A11 at Wymondham.
The 49-year-old, who runs the Farmhouse pub, Colman Road, Norwich, had denied the charge, claiming he did not see a cyclist until the last moment.
The trial heard Pearce had landed at Stansted about three hours before he struck Mr Carr at 7.15am on October 17 2005, and had no overnight sleep.
Sleep experts said he must have been asleep at the time of impact because he did not spot the “clearly visible” Mr Carr, drifted into him and failed to make an emergency stop.
They added his total sleep in the past 24 hours of just two and a half hours was “woefully inadequate” and he should have not started the engine, while Pearce claims he did not feel tired.
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Mr Carr, a 30-year-old married man from Attleborough who ranked among the top three cyclists in the country, had been riding to work along the A11 and was parallel with a lay-by when by “spectacular and horrible coincidence” Pearce drifted and struck him at up to 60 miles per hour.
Mr Carr died later the same day.
His grieving family were present throughout the trial.
The court heard the maximum sentence for the conviction was 14 years, although Pearce was not warned what he may face.
He is due to be sentenced on January 26.
