A MOTORIST who knocked down and seriously injured a pedestrian went straight to his aid and called an ambulance.
Diane Adams, aged 60, was travelling to work along Carlisle’s Wigton Road in darkness when her Audi Q2 collided with Michael Hoban as she suffered a “momentary lapse” in concentration, the city’s magistrates’ court heard.
Doorbell camera footage showed Mr Hoban initially on a pavement close to the B&M store at just before 6-45am on 10th January.
As he stepped into the road towards a traffic island, the driver of one other vehicle swerved to avoid a collision. He was then struck by Adams’ Audi.
“Mrs Adams told police officers at the scene she didn’t see him,” said prosecutor Diane Jackson. “She was visibly upset about the incident. It’s described she was caring deeply about the start of the victim.
Mr Hoban suffered a fracture of the right tibia. He was taken to Carlisle’s Cumberland Infirmary and transferred to the Royal Victoria Infirmary in Newcastle before being discharged on 18th January.
He recalled being in Penrith at 11pm the previous evening and drinking several pints of lager. “The next memory he had was waking up in hospital,” said Mrs Jackson.
In a statement, Mr Hoban described being unable to walk far without crutches since the collision. He had been unable to work and pursue his hobbies of motorbikes and fishing. “This has financially affected me and my mental health,” he stated.
Adams admitted causing serious injury to Mr Hoban by careless driving. The mother-of-three was heading to work but not rushing at the time, said a probation officer who had interviewed the defendant, and also told the court: “She states there was nothing impairing her driving outside of the incident.”
Adams, a hard-working woman with no previous convictions, was represented by defence solicitor Kate Hunter.
“There is a car that takes evasive action. That happens just seconds prior to the incident,” said Miss Hunter, referring to camera footage which, she observed, showed the pedestrian “wandering in the road”. “I think several cars are lucky not to be in Mrs Adams’ position.
“She did stop at the scene. She was the first to call the ambulance and provide assistance to the victim.”
Adams, of Ellesmere Way, Carlisle. was given a 12-month community order. She must complete 80 hours’ unpaid work and serve a 12-month driving ban.
District judge Philip Holden told her: “I have had the opportunity of seeing the footage. It is plain that you must have been distracted at the time the collision took place. At least one other vehicle was able to get around him.
“You had a number of seconds in which you could have reacted to his presence in the carriageway.”
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