A truck driver who caused a fatal accident on the motorway while engaged in a video call has been sentenced to 11 years in prison. Zvonko Tomisa, a 58-year-old from Vidovec, Croatia, was driving a MAN lorry on the M20 motorway when he collided with a stationary Nissan Qashqai driven by Arran McManus, resulting in the death of the father of two.
Tomisa failed to notice the standstill traffic between junction 9 and 8 at Lenham due to an earlier accident causing a speed restriction. Despite traveling at approximately 55mph, Tomisa only initiated braking less than a second before crashing into McManus at around 48mph, as revealed by dashcam footage.
During the 28 seconds leading up to the collision, Tomisa was distracted by a prolonged phone call with his wife. Phone records indicated multiple calls and messages exchanged with his wife and other contacts, including discussions about his delivery route and attempts to reach his wife.
The crash occurred while Tomisa’s wife was video calling him, resulting in the tragic accident at 8:30 am. McManus, who was on his way to work, lost his life in the collision, leaving behind his partner and children in Ashford.
Despite testing negative for drugs and alcohol post-accident, Tomisa was found guilty of causing death by dangerous driving. The court emphasized that Tomisa’s continuous phone usage while driving was highly distracting and not a momentary lapse of attention.
In a victim impact statement, McManus’s fiancée expressed profound loss, describing him as a devoted father and deeply cherished family member. Judge Catherine Moore condemned Tomisa’s actions, highlighting the recklessness of engaging in a video call while operating a large vehicle on the motorway, emphasizing that no excuse justified such behavior.