Lorry Driver Jailed for 11 Years After Fatal M20 Crash
A Croatian lorry driver received an 11-year prison sentence after admitting dangerous driving that killed a 36-year-old father of two on the M20 motorway in Kent. The court heard he was on a video call and had sent multiple messages before the November 2025 collision.
bbc.co.ukA lorry driver who was on a video call with his wife when he crashed into stationary traffic on the M20 near Lenham has been sentenced to 11 years in prison. Zvonko Tomisa, 58, from Croatia, admitted that his dangerous driving caused the death of 36-year-old Arran McManus in November 2025.
Tomisa failed to notice the standstill traffic and struck the rear of McManus's car at approximately 55 mph (89 km/h), braking less than one second before impact.
Court on Monday, prosecutors said Tomisa had sent at least five messages from his phone after arriving in Dover before answering the video call. Judge Catherine Moor told the court the impact forced McManus's car beneath the lorry, causing fatal crush injuries.
The judge stated Tomisa had assumed his driving would remain unaffected by mobile phone use. She also disqualified him from driving any vehicle for 14 years.
McManus, who was driving to work, died at the scene.
His fiancé, Ashleigh Devlin, said in a statement that his loss had caused her profound anxiety. Family members reported they are now afraid of driving on motorways and more conscious of foreign lorries. Kent Police Ch Insp Craig West said the case highlighted the detrimental impacts of using a phone while driving.
Tomisa expressed remorse in a translated letter read to the court, stating he was conscious of the weight and consequences of the event.
