A LORRY driver was speeding and his windscreen was obscured by dirt and cracked glass just minutes before a road accident left a cyclist dead.
The horrific crash happened when the driver's vehicle suddenly hit the cyclist from behind on the "notorious and dangerous stretch of road", Grimsby magistrates heard.
Wayne Marsh, 49, of Beverley Close, Holton-le-Clay, admitted causing the death of 64-year-old Graeme Walton by careless driving at Barnoldby-le-Beck on December 8.
It happened on the stretch of road between the Laceby roundabout and and Barnoldby-le-Beck – the subject of further tragedy more recently with the deaths of five members of the Cockburn family, killed when their car was in a head-on collision with a lorry on Barton Street on April 12.
Describing December's incident, Brendan Woodward, prosecuting, said Marsh was driving an articulated lorry tractor unit and was accompanied by his son.
The lorry hit the rear of cyclist Mr Walton at about 9.40am. He later died.
A police investigation revealed that the lorry's windscreen had a large crack along the entire area immediately in front of the driver's sitting position.
His view would also have been significantly impaired by excess grime from the road on the windscreen, said Mr Woodward.
The tachograph revealed that the vehicle's speed was 45mph in a 40mph limit.
The cyclist was riding in a proper manner, added Mr Woodward.
The starting point for sentencing of the offence was 36 weeks' custody, the court heard.
Michael Culshaw, mitigating, said Marsh was pleading guilty at the first opportunity the case was in court.
No other mitigation was given during the brief hearing, but much more is expected to be given at Marsh's next court appearance.
Marsh is thought to have escaped injury in the accident.
The magistrates committed the case to Grimsby Crown Court for sentence and Marsh was allowed unconditional bail.
He was given an interim driving ban.
Mr Walton, of Melton Ross, was a keen cyclist and had two grown-up children, Jennifer and Harry.
His long-term partner Gill Renney told the Grimsby Telegraph after his death that they were "devastated by this untimely loss".
She said: "Graeme was originally from Bedford, had lived in various places around the country and had settled in Lincolnshire a decade ago.
"He was newly-retired, having worked hard all his life, firstly as an engineer and then a project manager for a telecommunications company.
"He had looked forward to, and was enjoying, his retirement."
Mr Walton was a keen traveller and had visited many places across the world.
They had recently bought a caravan and toured the country together.
