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BOSS: crash driver on rest break
Page 9
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A Felixstowe haulier says that there was no reason for his driver to be travelling on the Al2 at the time of a fatal road smash, a court heard.
Victor Coates, who drove for MJ Graves Haulage has been accused of working for 20 hours when he fell asleep at the wheel and ploughed into a stationary car, killing the driver. on 13 December 1999.
His employer Martin Graves denies that inadequate business operations during that year meant that an accident was inevitable. He told Basildon Crown Court during an on-going court case (CM 1928 Sept 20021 that he was proud of the business that he had built up.
Graves said that Coates had carried out his
deliveries for the day from Felixstowe to Dagenham and then on to Dunstable. He expected his driver to be having his daily rest period in Watford, before setting off for a pick up in Birmingham next morning. He said: "There was no reason for him to be in Essex. As far as I was concerned he was tucked up in bet" Gar driver Lee Fitt and Sarah Norman had parked their broken dawn car at the side of the road when Coates' truck hit the vehicle, killing Fitt and injuring Norman.
Coates admitted three charges of making a false record but denied one of death by dangerous driving. Graves denies making a false record and manslaughter.