TAUNTON van driver Alexander Chapman has been handed a 14-week suspended sentence for his role in a crash which tragically killed 27-year-old Destiney Rauh.

Chapman was using a layby on the A361 at West Lyng to turn around when he pulled out into the path of an oncoming motorcycle – ridden by Destiney – in February last year.

Despite swerving to avoid the van, Destiney hit it before hitting the ground.

At Taunton Crown Court on Thursday (June 19), 39-year-old Chapman pleaded guilty to causing death by careless driving.

The court heard Chapman was using a layby to turn around and head back towards his Taunton home at around 4.25pm on Sunday, February 4.

However, he pulled out directly in front of Destiney who, despite the efforts of emergency services, was tragically pronounced dead at the scene.

Chapman stopped immediately after the collision and told an officer that he had not seen Destiney when he pulled into the road, the court heard, but was later charged with causing death by careless driving.

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Before he was sentenced, a victim personal statement from Destiney’s grandmother was read out in court.

“Destiney was such a big part of our lives as she came to live with us at six weeks old,” she said. “Her bedroom is still the same as she left it on that Sunday morning. Her clothes are still in the wardrobe and her work shoes are still at the bottom of the stairs where she left them.”

Addressing Chapman, she added: “The last thing she saw on this earth was your white van. I will never forgive you, but one day I will be with her and I will be happy again.

“I know you didn’t go out to kill her, but you did and nothing in this world will change that. You took something very, very precious from us.

“If you had only looked our lives would never have crossed, but instead your life will never be the same as you killed the love of our life.

“I hope what happened to our family never happens to yours as it is hard. You have got to live with this for the rest of your life as have got to live without Destiney.”

Sentencing, Judge Shepherd told Chapman: “What made this careless was your inadequate checks for a motorcycle that caused the death. The aggregating factor is that the victim was a vulnerable road user.

“It was a momentary lapse in concentration.

“The victims’ statements are heartfelt and devastating.”

Chapman was handed a 14-week suspended prison sentence, disqualified from driving for 18 months and ordered to carry out 250 hours of unpaid work.

After the hearing Dai Nicholas, the Avon & Somerset Police investigating officer, said: “Destiney was a young woman on her way to meet up with friends when in the blink of an eye she was faced with a collision she was powerless to avoid.

“We have heard very clearly about the impact her death has had on her family and our thoughts remain fully with them.

“Everyone has a responsibility to be aware of their surroundings at all times while they’re on our roads.

“Tragically, as we have seen in this case, any failure to do that can have utterly tragic consequences.”

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