HGV driver, 52, who was on hands-free call when he veered onto wrong side of road and killed biker, 22, continued chat for 30 minutes after leaving man dying in road, court hears

A lorry driver who veered onto the wrong side of the road and smashed into a motorcyclist continued a phone call and drove off leaving the young man dying at the scene, a court heard today.

Lucian-Sorin Todor, 52, carried on chatting on his phone after colliding with 22-year-old Jack Burgess, having crossed double white lines to overtake a cyclist.

Todor pulled over briefly but did not stop his 46-minute-long phone call after the fatal crash and continued it for 30 minutes after he had driven away.

The court heard Mr Burgess died from head injuries caused in a collision with the lorry's wheels.

HGV driver Lucian-Sorin Todor, 52, was on a hands-free phone call when he collided with 22-year-old Jack Burgess' motorcycle after Todor crossed double white lines to overtake a cyclist on the A32

Todor, who is originally from Romania, stopped for just two minutes before driving off and later telling police he didn't think he'd had anything to do with his death.

Today Todor pleaded guilty to causing death by careless driving but denied causing death by dangerous driving.

Jurors were told that while travelling on the A32 at Warnford, near Petersfield, Hants, Todor overtook a cyclist coming up to a bend with a restricted view.

Travelling on the other side of the road was an Audi A6, a Vauxhall and Mr Burgess's Yamaha motorcycle.

Todor's manoeuvre onto the other side of the road left the other vehicles with little space and they were forced to brake.

Mr Burgess died from head injuries caused in a collision with the lorry's wheels

Tom Wilkins, prosecuting, told Winchester Crown Court, Hants: 'Mr Burgess then braked however he came off motorcycle falling to his offside when he had the Vauxhall in front of him.

'Some scuff markings on the rear of the Vauxhall showed where his motorcycle came into contact with the Vauxhall.'

The court heard Mr Burgess was wearing a red and black helmet and red scuff marks on Todor's lorry showed where the motorcyclist's head had struck the lorry's wheels.

But Todor claimed he inspected his vehicle after the collision and there were no dents or scratches which led to him driving away.

The court heard he was on the phone when the crash happened and continued the call for the two short minutes that he stopped before leaving Mr Burgess, from Waterlooville, Hants, on the side of the road.

Today Todor pleaded guilty to causing death by careless driving but denied causing death by dangerous driving. Pictured: Victim Jack Burgess with his sister Sophie

Mr Wilkins added: 'The call lasted for 46 minutes and 13 seconds which means at the time of the collision the defendant was engaged in a telephone call which continued for two minutes or so that he was at the scene and then for another 30 minutes or so when he went away.

'He did not even stop the call at the road side when he pulled over..'

Todor said in a statement to police that he would have been using Bluetooth as he had an ear piece.

In the statement he said: 'I do not believe I caused the accident. I am extremely sorry that someone has died but I do not believe it was caused by me.

'There were people there already on the phone to the police.

'There was no scratches or dents to my vehicle - I did not believe I had been involved in any sort of accident and other people were there helping.

'If I thought I was involved in an accident I would not have left.'

Mr Burgess suffered fatal head injuries as a result of the crash in June 2019 and died in hospital.

Following his death, his family revealed his organs had helped five other people.

His sister Sophie, who works for the South Central Ambulance Service, said: 'We realised that as we were saying our goodbyes, around the country other families were coming together because their loved one was getting another chance of life.

'Jack was a funny, adventurous and caring person who was loved by all that knew him.

'It's been hard for my mum, his older brother, twin sister and I, grieving for Jack but without having the positivity of knowing how Jack helped others by being an organ donor, it would have been even harder.'

Jack's heart went to a man in his 50s, his liver to a man in his 30s, his pancreas and one kidney to a man in his 30s, his other kidney to another man in his 30s, and his knee joint went to a cancer sufferer.

The trial continues.