Motorbike Tragedy: Rider Speeding Kills 90-Year-Old Crossing London Road
James Williams was tearing along London Road on his black Triumph Bonneville Street when he hit 90-year-old Maria Ansell on April 2, 2019. The impact threw Maria 20 metres into the opposite carriageway.
Speeding Above Limit Turns Fatal
Williams began slowing his bike about 10 metres before the crash, but he was still clocked at 40-50mph in a 30mph zone. Police say if he’d stuck to the limit, Maria would still be alive.
Justice Served: Community Order and Driving Ban
Williams, 25, from Chichester, was arrested and charged with causing death by careless driving. At Basildon Crown Court, he pleaded guilty and was sentenced on January 7 to:
- A three-year community order
- 300 hours of unpaid work
- Curfew from 8pm to 6am for four months
- A three-year driving ban
Paramedics and bystanders tried to save Maria, but tragically, she died at the scene.
