Danielle Barrett, 28, has been sentenced after causing the death of a motorcyclist.
Barrett, of Steadman Court, Horncastle was travelling towards Boston on the B1192 near Coningsby at about 8.25am on 21 July 2023 when the Vauxhall Corsa she was driving attempted an overtake as she approached a bend in the road, colliding head-on with an oncoming Ducati motorbike.
As a result of the collision, the motorcyclist, Jeffrey Scott, 66 was thrown from his motorcycle, hitting her windscreen before landing in a ditch at the side of the road. He had no opportunity to avoid the collision and died at the scene from his injuries.
Following a trial at Lincoln Crown Court, Barrett was found guilty of causing death by dangerous driving.
Investigations by Lincolnshire Police’s Serious and Forensic Collision Investigation Units led to Barrett being charged with the one offence that she was sentenced for at court today. Technical examinations of the vehicles found no issues that were contributory in the collision.
It was established during the investigation that Barrett had crossed into the oncoming carriageway as the motorbike was coming round the bend in the opposite direction, leaving Mr Scott no time to react. Barrett collided head on with Mr Scott’s oncoming motorcycle who was thrown from the bike, hitting her windscreen and then landing in a ditch at the side of the road sustaining fatal injuries.
In interview, Barrett stated she knew the road, and that she was just having a look for an opportunity to overtake the crop sprayer, denying that she was overtaking at that point. CCTV footage that was obtained from a nearby property showed that she had entered the opposing side of the road, moments before the collision occurred. The investigation also established that at the position she carried out the manoeuvre, she did not have a view of the road ahead.
Detective Sergeant James Perring, from our Serious Collision Investigation Unit, said: “This collision was solely due to the dangerous driving of Barrett when she moved into the opposing carriageway when she did not have a view of the road ahead. Despite her comments in interview, the position of her vehicle, as caught by the CCTV, clearly demonstrated that she was commencing an overtaking manoeuvre.
“Whilst we may get frustrated at having to travel behind slower moving vehicles, her impatience led to a dangerous manoeuvre that has cost Mr Scott his life. Just waiting a few seconds more to clear the bend would have provided a view of the road ahead and prevented this unnecessary heartache.”
Barrett having been previously found guilty of causing death by dangerous driving following a trial was sentenced at Lincoln Crown Court to six years imprisonment and banned from driving for seven years and six months and must take an extended re-test before driving again.
