'Asleep at the wheel' man jailed for fatal crash

A man who admitted causing death by dangerous driving after falling asleep at the wheel has been sentenced to more than five years in prison.

Will Dohmatob, 30, of Rossington Close, Enfield, fell asleep whilst driving on the A131 at Twinstead, Essex, when his box van crashed with a motorcyclist in February 2024.

Andrew Rayner, 44, had been riding at the back of a group of motorcyclists when he was hit by the van. He was pronounced dead at the scene, police said.

Dohmatob appeared at Chelmsford Crown Court on Monday where he was sentenced to five years and nine months imprisonment and was disqualified from driving for about 10 years.

Officers from the roads policing unit at Essex Police were called to reports of a serious collision at about 10:40 GMT on 3 February 2024 on the A131.

Police said Dohmatob had fallen asleep at the wheel which caused his vehicle to veer across the carriageway, hitting Mr Rayner's motorbike. The van left the road and came to rest in a ditch, with Dohmatob only waking up following the impact.

Police later established that he had little to no sleep over a 30-hour period prior to the crash.

In a tribute issued at the time, Mr Rayner's family described him as a man "whose warmth and kindness touched the lives of all who knew him".

"Andy was dearly loved by Rachel, his fiancée, and was a loving father, brother, and son. Andy, who truly loved his motorcycles, was a big part of the Essex Biker Meet Up Group and his presence will be deeply missed."

Det Con Edward Gosling said: "Driving tired can have catastrophic results: tiredness can slow down your reactions and affect how you drive.

"Never start driving when you are already tired."

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