Reversing delivery-van driver 'failed to check blind spot' when he killed 63-year-old Leeds woman
A delivery driver reversed over and killed a 63-year-old woman on her own street after he failed to check his blind spot, a court heard.
Vitalijus Satilo is accused of causing the death of Susan Taylor by careless driving after she was struck by his white Mercedes Sprinter. He denies the offence and is standing trial at Leeds Crown Court this week.
The 37-year-old Lithuanian was reversing the long wheelbase van on Park Crescent, Rothwell, at around 1.15pm on December 2021 when he collided with Mrs Taylor, who was just yards from her front door.
Prosecuting the case, Katherine Robinson said to the jury: “An examination of the van showed that there is a blind spot behind the vehicle such that only checking by walking behind it, or having a second person present to do so would provide certainty that it was safe to reverse.
“Cases such as this are always especially tragic, as it is not suggested that Mr Satilo did anything deliberately to cause any harm to, let alone the death of Mrs Taylor.
“The consequences were unforeseen and deeply sad. Nevertheless, we say his actions, which undoubtedly caused the death, amount to the offence with which he is charged.”
The court was told that Satilo, of Woodville Court, Wakefield, was a self-employed delivery driver who contracted himself out to Yodel courier service, attending their depot in Selby each day to load up with deliveries.
On that fateful day, he had been at the depot at 7.15am and collected 240 parcels. Meanwhile, Mrs Taylor had been for a walk with a friend in a nearby park, had enjoyed a coffee and was returning home.
Satilo entered Park Crescent, a cul-de-sac, at 1.06pm to make a delivery. He then got back into his van, captured on CCTV by a nearby property. Mrs Taylor was also seen walking past the van.
It was heard that she had also stepped onto the road to avoid a dog walker on the street, due to Covid restrictions at the time, but experts agree there is insufficient evidence from which to determine if Mrs Taylor remained in the road or whether she returned to the path and re-entered the road moments before the collision.
Satilo then began reversing along the road. He later told police he had looked along the street to ensure it was clear prior to setting off, checked his mirrors and began moving. He then heard a “noise and a bump”, which he thought was a parcel falling in the back of his van.
The vehicle became stuck and he thought it was a brick or branch in the road. He got out to find Mrs Taylor lying motionless. In shock, he raised the alarm with residents on the street and people came to her aid as 999 was called.
An off-duty police officer said he thought Mrs Taylor’s neck had been broken. He continued CPR until the emergency services arrived, but said there was no response from Mrs Taylor at any point. She was pronounced dead at 1.34pm.
Mrs Robinson added: “The prosecution case is that Mr Satilo did not drive with due care and attention, in that he didn’t check the blind spot, and therefore collided with Mrs Taylor.”
She said the van had a reversing camera, but it was not working at the time. An on-duty police officer giving evidence today said reversing was the most “realistic” way of exiting the street, although turning around was possible.
CCTV showed that Satilo’s average reversing speed, calculated from when the van was still in view of the CCTV, was around 7.5 to 8mph.
The trial continues and is expected to last this week.