Polish Lorry Driver Jailed for Fatal M20 Crash
A lorry driver has been locked up after a deadly smash on the M20 claimed the life of a motorcyclist. Mateusz Pietrow, 31, was behind the wheel of an articulated lorry on 22 September 2019 when tragedy struck near junction 8.
Speeding Lorry Hits Motorcyclist
At around 1.20pm, traffic slowed on the westbound carriageway. Pietrow switched to the outside lane and sped up, breaking the 50mph limit. In doing so, he collided with Alan Short, 56, from Selby, Yorkshire, who was riding his motorcycle in that lane.
Alan was thrown onto the road and suffered critical injuries. Paramedics pronounced him dead at the scene.
Guilty Verdict After Three-Day Trial
Pietrow, from Koblya Gora, Poland, was charged the day after the crash with causing death by careless driving. He denied the charge but was found guilty at Maidstone Crown Court on 5 March 2020 following a three-day trial.
He was sentenced to two years behind bars and banned from driving for four years. After his ban, he must pass an extended driving test before getting back on the road.
Police Slam Professional Driver’s Carelessness
“Pietrow was a professional driver who should have been regularly looking in his mirrors to remain aware of other vehicles near his lorry,” said Police Sergeant Peter Greaves from Kent Police’s Serious Collision Investigation Unit.
“If he had done this, he would have known about the motorcycle to his offside and not changed lanes. This tragic, wholly avoidable collision has rightly resulted in a prison sentence.”
