Trucker faces jail for killing cyclist
A lorry driver who killed a cyclist when he failed to spot him passing on his left is facing jail.
Tristan Renshaw, 47, was driving a Volvo tipper truck when he hit 60-year-old Zinoviy Savuluak as he was turning at a junction, the Old Bailey heard.
Mr Savuluak died at the scene of the collision at the junction of North End Road and Chareville Road in West Kensington on 15 December 2022.
CCTV footage showed the truck collided with the bike dragging the cyclist under the wheels before the truck pulled up.
A witness said the truck did not stop until a man came out of a local shop and shouted that a person was under the wheels.
Members of the public rushed to help Mr Savuluak but he was pronounced dead at the scene with horrific injuries.
Renshaw was denied, but was convicted of causing death by careless driving.
by a majority verdict of 11-1 at the Old Bailey today (Fri) following eight hours and two minutes of jury deliberation.
Renshaw appeared in the dock wearing a thick Superdry jacket over a black t-shirt.
He remained stoney faced as the verdict was announced and let out a deep sigh as he sat down.
The court heard Renshaw had continued to work as a driver while awaiting trial in the past four years, to which the judge said: ‘Well, he is going to lose his licence.’
Turning to the driver he said: ‘I am not in any way shape or form decided what I am going to do, but it is a long time ago now, and I am told there is nothing I need to concern myself with now in terms of further offending.’
He added: ‘Offences causing death, even by careless driving, cross the custody threshold,’ but said he would keep ‘all options open’.
Judge Katz said: ‘You must cooperate with the probation service and I will see you on the 16 July to pass sentence.
‘In a case like this you are likely to be disqualified from driving.’
Prosecutor Alexander Agbamu said: ‘On 15 December 2022 at around 3.15pm the defendant was driving a tipper truck along North End Road.
‘Mr Savuluak was also travelling along North End Road at the same time in the same direction, he was riding a bicycle.
Mr Agbamu told the jury: ’It was a collision which was captured on camera- I do warn you it’s upsetting- it’s a horrible thing you’re about to see- but it is necessary.’
He said: ’Mr Savuluak sustained catastrophic injuries and was pronounced dead at the scene.’
An expert said the cyclist was in the view of the two rear side wing mirrors and a camera in the vehicle.
He also said the vehicles’ proximity indictor would have indicated red.
When Renshaw was interviewed by police he said he ‘clocked something in his wide angle mirror.’
‘He saw something moved and when he looked he saw something down there, “then I heard a man screaming”.
‘He said he wasn’t in a rush and he had indicated to turn left’.
Mr Agbamu said: ‘It was the defendant’s failure to check in his nearside for other road users that was a significant, if not the sole cause of the collision which resulted in Mr Savuluak sustaining fatal injuries.’
Renshaw, of Staines, Surrey, denied but was convicted of causing death by careless driving.
Judge Philip Katz KC thanked the jury for their service, adding: ‘People have funny ideas about what happens in jury trials, but now you know.’
He asked for a pre-sentence report on Renshaw but was critical about the delay, saying: ‘This was many, many, many years ago, but I do need more information.
‘The delay in this case, I don’t know the reason for it.’
Mr Agbamu explained there was a ‘very long queue’ for forensic collision reports but admitted this was filed to the prosecution in July 2024.
Judge Katz said: ‘I mean, it is bad enough that there is so few forensic collision investigators, but this was two years ago… what is a judge supposed to do?’
Renshaw will next appear for sentencing at the Old Bailey on 16 July.
ENDS
