Redcar motorist accused of causing motorcyclist's death following alleged hit-and-run crash

5 Feb 2014 16:15

Gary Thompson charged with failing to stop and failure to report the crash on the A171 in the village of Cloughton, near Scarborough

A motorist from Redcar appeared in court this afternoon following an alleged hit and run crash in which a motorcyclist died.

Gary Thompson, 37, is accused of causing the death of Lee Harris, 39, by careless driving.

Thompson is also charged with failing to stop after the accident on A171 in the village of Cloughton, near Scarborough, while driving his black Citroen C3 car.

He faces a third count of failing to report the crash which happened around 6pm on July 27 while he was driving from Scarborough to Whitby, the court heard.

Scarborough Magistrates sent Thompson for trial at York Crown Court.

Thompson, of Salcombe Way, was granted unconditional bail until the plea and directions hearing on February 27.

He spoke only to confirm his name, address, and age during the two minute hearing.

Mr Harris, a warehouse manager, of The Green, Newby, Scarborough, was certified dead at the scene of the accident by paramedics.

The Citroen car was found abandoned at the scene by police who then launched a search of the area.

Thompson was arrested on foot at 9.30pm, three and a half hours after the collision, further along the A171 towards Whitby.

There was no indication of plea and Kathryn Reeve, prosecuting, did not object to unconditional bail being extended.

The accident happened outside The Flask Inn in Cloughton.

Mr Harris was riding his black Honda back towards Scarborough when tragedy struck on a series of bends in the road.

The road was closed until midnight while police examined the scene and the vehicles.

A police search involving tracker dogs was made of the adjoining Harwood Dale Forest following the crash.

Traffic Sergeant Pete Wood, of the Roads Policing Group at Scarborough, said at the time: “This is an extremely tragic incident and we are doing everything we can to investigate the circumstances of the collision, as well as support the man’s family who are devastated by what has happened.”