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Death-crash ambulance driver appeals against careless-driving conviction
AN ambulance driver found guilty of careless driving after an accident in which a motorcyclist was killed has launched an appeal at Bradford Crown Court.
Samantha Oates, who was on a non-emergency call when she collided with 79-year-old Sydney Norcliffe's Suzuki, claims she was wrongfully convicted by Calderdale Magistrates last June.
During the collision, the great grandfather, of Saddleworth Road, Barkisland, was thrown 20 metres from his bike into a wall. But Maura Logan, for Miss Oates, of Valley View, Bradshaw, Halifax, told the new hearing Mr Norcliffe had been undertaking the ambulance at the time of the accident on April 13, 2007.
She said he may have been speeding at up to 45mph and was not wearing visible clothing when the collision occurred as both vehicles were travelling on Oldham Road, Ripponden, towards Rishworth. And she denied Miss Oates, who had pulled to the offside of the road to check directions moments earlier, had then attempted to turn into a leftside road Spinners Hollow in one manoeuvre while failing to check sufficiently for passing traffic.
Instead, Miss Logan said the ambulance had parked nearly 50 metres away from Spinners Hollow and was making the turn from a normal road position when the accident happened.
But evidence given at an earlier hearing by Steven Green, head of West Yorkshire Police's collisions and investigation team, said Miss Oates should have seen the biker. He added if she had had trouble seeing while attempting to turn the vehicle, she should have asked for assistance from her colleague.
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Tuesday 07 February 2012
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