Lorry driver, 30, who got high on cannabis and cocaine before ploughing into a cyclist, 50, and killing him instantly is jailed for three-and-a-half years
- Joseph Large, 30, ploughed his Volvo skip loader into Paul Thompson who died
- Mr Thompson was cycling along Culwick Street, Wolverhampton, West Midlands
- He told police he didn’t see Mr Thompson, 50, because he was dazzled by sun
By AMELIA WYNNE FOR MAILONLINE PUBLISHED:, 27 January 2020
A lorry driver has been jailed after he killed a cyclist in his 32-tonne refuse truck while high on cocaine and cannabis.
Joseph Large, 30, ploughed his Volvo skip loader into Paul Thompson, 50, who was crushed to death in the horror crash.
Police arrested Large at the scene and tests revealed he had taken cannabis and had 158mcg of cocaine in his blood – three times the permitted level.
Mr Thompson was cycling along Culwick Street, Wolverhampton, West Midlands, at 2.30pm when Large collided with him, killing him instantly.
He initially told police he did not see Mr Thompson because he was dazzled by the sun when he pulled out of a junction.
But following a trial at Stoke-on-Trent Crown Court, Large was found guilty of causing death by careless driving while under the influence of drugs.
On Friday, Large, from Coseley in the West Midlands, was jailed for three-and-a-half years and banned from driving for two years.
The judge told him: ‘You had a duty of care whilst driving a vehicle of that size, especially to vulnerable road users.