A truck driver who killed a cyclist out on his own for a Saturday morning spin told gardaí the glare of the sun was in his eyes at the time of the crash. There was evidence the driver had been speeding on the day and also evidence of other driving breaches.
However, though the driver has now pleaded guilty to causing the death of Michael Fleming (63) near Clane, Co Kildare, in August, 2022, the dead man's widow Ann - who is terminally ill - has told a court she did not want to see the driver sent to jail.
Mr Fleming died after the crash at about 8.15am on the Millicent Road in Clane on Saturday, August 20th, that year. Though the alarm was raised immediately, by the truck driver and other road users, efforts to save Mr Fleming were not successful and he was pronounced dead at the scene.
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Douglas Ryder (27), Gilltown, Donadea, has pleaded guilty at Naas Circuit Court to careless driving causing the death of Mr Fleming. He told people at the scene, and later gardaí, that he had been blinded by the sun at the time.
An examination of is vehicle found he had been driving at 91km per hour for at least one minute on an 80km speed limit road. The tachograph in his truck also revealed breaches of rest periods truck drivers are obliged to take under regulations.
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Mrs Fleming told the court her life had changed forever on the day she got a call to her door informing her that her husband had been killed. She said he had always supported her, during almost 30 years of marriage, including as she received treatment for blood cancer.
Her illness was incurable and she told the court when she died her children would not have her husband to help them in their lives. However, while she remained grief stricken, she did not want to see Ryder going to jail, adding he had made poor decisions which he would have to live with for the rest of his life.
The court was also told Ryder had expressed genuine remorse, including writing a letter to Mr Fleming's family, telling them that if he could turn back time he would. He also said while he had since been diagnosed with post-traumatic stress, this was nothing compared to the family's grief.
The court heard Ryder was driving his truck in the same direction that Mr Fleming was cycling when the truck hit him, knocking Mr Fleming into the ditch and killing him. While gardaí and paramedics tried to save him, they were unable to.
Mrs Fleming said the court case should be seen as an exercise to warn drivers to take more care on the roads, saying her husband was one of very many people killed in preventable crashes.
