Lorry driver sentenced to five years in prison for causing death of pensioner while checking mobile phone

A LORRY driver who caused the death of a pensioner after he crashed into her car while checking his phone has been sentenced to five years in prison.

Ayr recovery driver David Shields, 34, had pled guilty to causing the death of 66-year-old Yvonne Blackman and was handed his sentence at the High Court in Glasgow today.

The tragedy happened on the A75 Gretna to Stranraer road near to its junction with Lockerbie Road roundabout in Dumfries on 8 February last year.

Dashcam and cab footage shows the tragic moment Shields smashes into the back of Ms Blackman’s car after failing to pay attention to the road.

The court heard that Shields’ attention was repeatedly focused on the dash-mounted mobile in the cab of his lorry.

Immediately before the collision his attention was again on the mobile and he failed to notice and react to the line of traffic ahead of him until it was too late.

Shields’ lorry collided with the rear of Mrs Blackman’s car causing it to be propelled into the rear of another car before it was pushed on to the opposing carriageway where it was struck again by the lorry.

Yvonne Blackman, a missionary worker from Lockerbie, had been on her way to meet fellow volunteers when the crash happened. She suffered severe injuries and died in hospital on February 22 2017.

Shields was also disqualified from driving for seven and a half years.

David Green, head of the Scottish Fatalities Investigation Unit, said: “David Shields’ dangerous driving has irrevocably damaged many lives and our thoughts go to the family of Yvonne Blackman.

“Driving while handling a mobile phone, in any context, is illegal and dangerous and can have the most serious of consequences.”

Earlier this year, Yvonne’s husband of 35 years, Ralph, told The Sunday Post of the heart-breaking decision he had to make following the crash over switching off her life support.

“We couldn’t see her at first when she was in hospital in Dumfries. Then we rushed down to Glasgow and we finally saw her. It was the worst day of my life,” he said.

“She was lying there with all these tubes and wires attached to her. At first you could feel her trying to respond when you held her hand, she was trying to squeeze it back.

“She stopped being able to after a few days. She couldn’t talk, I don’t think she knew we were there after a while – she was completely paralysed from the neck down.

“Doctors said if she did survive, she would be paralysed. As a family we knew she wouldn’t want that. She was such an active person. We were then asked about switching off the life support, and we asked them if we could have a little bit longer with her.

“Two weeks after the accident we had to let her go.”

Mr Blackman, himself a former lorry driver, condemned Shields’ actions and anyone who checks their phone while driving.

He said: “I have done that job; I was an HGV driver for almost 40 years. I would never, ever have looked at my phone. Even now if someone calls me I ignore it, and if I need to I will pull over and check my phone.

“When I saw the footage, it was absolutely disgusting. What was so important that he had to look at that phone? He should have been paying attention to the road.

“Anyone caught using their phones behind the wheel should have their licence removed, as penalties are just not working. I still see people all the time doing it, constantly checking their phones, it’s horrible.”