'˜Tired' Arla lorry driver from Hemel Hempstead jailed for killing grandmother and her dog

Claudiu Almasan, 46, of Leighton Buzzard Road in Hemel Hempstead, was driving along the A34 when he failed to see a line of slow-moving traffic.

He crashed into a black Nissan Note killing grandmother Diana Allan, 75, who lived in Huntingdon, and her dog.

Almasan has been sentenced to two years and eight months’ imprisonment and disqualified from driving for five years and four months.

At a previous hearing at Oxford Crown Court on 24 August this year, he pleaded guilty to one count of causing death by dangerous driving.

It happened at 3.30pm on July 12, 2015 close to Weston on the Green.

Almasan was returning to a lorry depot after delivering milk and a number of other people were injured as a result of the crash.

Investigating Officer PC Julia Stroud, of the Serious Collision Investigation Unit based at Bicester, said: “Probably due to tiredness, Almasan failed to spot that the traffic in front of him had slowed and had even stopped.

“His vehicle ploughed into a small hatchback and tragically killed Mrs Allan and her pet dog.

“This was a needless death on our roads and I hope that the conviction and sentencing serves as a timely reminder how being distracted whilst driving can have serious consequences.

“My thoughts remain with the family of Mrs Allan through what has been a very difficult time.”