Foreign lorry driver fell asleep at the wheel and killed a pensioner on same stretch of A34 where a family was crushed to death
Claudiu-Ioan Almasan had been returning to a lorry depot after delivering milk when he ploughed into the back of a hatchback
A FOREIGN lorry driver who fell asleep at the wheel and killed a pensioner has become the second man this week to be caged following a fatal smash on a notorious section of the A34.
Claudiu-Ioan Almasan was returning to a lorry depot after delivering milk when the incident took place.
He ploughed his vehicle into the back of a hatchback driven by maths teacher Diana Allan, having failed to notice that traffic had come to a standstill.
Mrs Allan, 73, died instantly, alongside her dog.
The horror smash took place just a short distance from where tragic Tracy Houghton was killed along with her sons Josh and Ethan and stepdaughter Aimee Goldsmith in August.
Related stories
Their incident was caused by lorry driver Tomasz Kroker, who was distracted while driving because he was looking at his mobile.
As a victim impact statement relating to the maths teacher's death was read out in court to Almasan, translated to him by a Romanian interpreter, he sobbed.
Devastated Dean McGregor-Allan, the victim's son, wrote: "Some people might have thought she was a little old lady seeing out her days but mum looked 20 years younger, had the health of someone 30 years younger and the energy of someone 40 years younger, and the innocence and trust of a child.
"Having had the cruel blow of losing my dad to cancer, mum was just beginning to come to terms with this and was looking forward to planning life with more optimism."
Mr McGregor-Allan said the day he found out his mum died was "the darkest day of my life".
A court heard how the grandmother-of-six had been excited about learning of her grandchildren's GCSE and A Level results this summer before the fatal smash.
He added: "My mum is dead - she shouldn't be.
"Nothing can right this wrong but if it was mum writing this, she would expect justice to be done and the truth to be told."
The statement was read by prosecutor Alan Blake to the court, also describing what had happened on the northbound dual carriageway of the A34.
He said: "As he drove towards the scene of the collision the traffic was clearly slowing. Witnesses described traffic crawling to the M40 ahead.
"One driver said he then saw the defendant's lorry going past him at speed and realising it was going too fast to be able to stop, before it ploughed into a lane of traffic."
Mrs Allan was found by medics slumped over her steering wheel, and was pronounced dead shortly afterwards.
The prosecutor added: "The defendant got out of the vehicle and one witness said he was collapsed on the verge and said 'oh my God, I can't believe I have killed someone.
"I have always done good in my life, I can't believe I have done this."
Almasan told cops after the smash that he had started work at 4am and was returning to Aylesbury at the end of his shift.
He said: "I was driving on the A34, there was a queue of traffic, there were vehicles in front stopped. I did brake but I went into the car."
The lorry driver was working two part-time jobs at the time of the incident.
He said he thought his speed was 40mph, however a device monitoring his driving showed he had been travelling at 56mph until seconds before the collision, when he decelerated to 53mph.
As police officers told Almasan he may have fallen asleep at the wheel he responded: "I'm sorry, I don't remember."
When charges of causing death by dangerous driving were pressed Almasan denied them but pleaded guilty to causing death by careless driving before admitting the earlier charge on the first day of his trial.
Bernard Richmond, defending, said: "In 2004 Mr Almasan was sitting exactly where this family were sitting, having lost his sister in similar circumstances. He knows what is going through the hearts and minds of this family.
"Mr Almasan insisted he did not want the court to think he was trying to get away with it. He had a head injury which caused some damage and his position was that he could not explain what had happened so experts were called in. The report said there was nothing there.
"I ask you to accept that at the start he was sitting by the side of the road saying 'this was my fault' - there has been no attempt to try to justify anything. There was the possibilty there was a neurological reason why this happened."
The court heard how the driver, 42, had taken more than the stipulated number of breaks required by law for professional drivers.
Originally from Transylvania, his wife and 10-year-old child remained in Romania and Almasan sent money back to them when he came over to England to work.
He said that the night before the collision he had stayed up beyond his usual 9pm bedtime, talking with his wife on the phone.
The tragic incident happened place 16 months ago, in July 2015, not far from the A34 junction with Bicester.
Mr Richmond said Almasan had been a ";hitherto responsible driver" and said: "The window was wound down because he was feeling a little bit groggy but nothing other than what people have to deal with when they are long distance drivers.
"The microsleep which happened, happened in a really short moment. Had he known he was struggling as much as he was he would have pulled over.
"He is trying to do what he can to provide the answer to what happened. Mr Almasan has from start to finish accepted he caused that death. That is why the careless driving plea was entered."
Almasan changed his plea to admit the charge of death by dangerous driving on the first day of his trial.
Mr Richmond added: "We had a very public case this week, on the A34. One of the problems for the family here is that this a horrible, unique experience."
He said there was a difference between "horrible people doing horrible things because they drove in that way and good people who made a mistake doing things which have horrible consequences."
Almasan had not driven a vehicle since the incident, despite not being disqualified.
Mr Richmond said: "I hope Your Honour will understand that every fibre of his being is feeling haunted by what happened. What Mr Almasan says is 'I'm being punished because I have done a bad thing and need to be punished.'
"This is not someone standing before you being blase, trying to blame someone else, this is someone standing completely broken, understanding what has gone on."
Judge Zoe Smith said: "There is nothing that I can say or do that will in any way assist Mrs Allan's family with overcoming their devastating loss.
"From the personal impact statement the court heard, she was a much-loved 73-year-old woman who was a wonderful person, vibrant with a zest for life and a passion for teaching.
"She will doubtless be missed by many people.
"You are a person who starts work early every morning at 4am and you normally go to bed by 9pm but on Saturday night prior to the accident you had less sleep than usual because you were speaking on the telephone.
"It is right to say that you had the right breaks during the course of your work and you were on your way home at the end of your shift.
"It would appear that evidence as to what occurred and the evidence from the expert with regard to sleep is that what did happen was you fell asleep at the wheel.
"As the driver of a heavy goods vehicle you have probably a greater responsibility to ensure you are in a fit and proper condition to drive the vehicle and should have stopped and taken a further rest."
She added: "It is clear you are a hard working man, you have been working hard to maintain your family and your daughter. This event will be with you for the rest of your life."
Almasan was sentenced to 32 months in jail and disqualified from driving for four years.