Hungover lorry driver banned for life after cyclist death (From Times Series)

Barnet lorry driver Dennis Putz jailed for 7 years for causing death of cyclist outside Oval Tube Station last year

10:20am Monday 22nd November 2010 in News By Alex Hayes

A BARNET lorry driver who did not notice he had run-down a cyclist while over the drink-drive limit and using his mobile phone has been banned from ever driving again.

Dennis Putz, of Colney Hatch Lane, was also jailed for seven years for killing keen cyclist Catriona Patel, when he pulled off from traffic lights outside Oval Tube Station on June 29 last year.

He was paying so little attention he did not realise he had hit the 39-year-old until passers by hammered on his cab door and yelled at him to stop.

Witnesses described how they comforted Mrs Patel, of Clapham, who was conscious after the crash. She died three hours later in hospital.

Inner London Crown Court was told how Putz had been on a drinking binge the night before which left him at least one-and-a-half times the drink drive limit.

The 51-year-old also had 20 previous disqualifications including three for drink-driving and three for reckless driving.

He had claimed Mrs Patel, had been in his blind spot, but evidence given at his trial revealed she had been in plain view for at least 29 seconds before he pulled off.

Ms Patel, who had been married to husband Anish for seven years had been in training to take on L'Etape de Tour, a 107-mile stage of the Tour de France for amateur cyclists.

Detective Constable Tony Tobin, the senior investigating officer, said: "Our thoughts are with Catriona's husband and the rest of her family as they have to deal with her loss every day.

“Dennis Putz started driving a large tipper truck that day still 1.5 times the legal drink drive limit. “He was also using a mobile telephone as he hit Catriona. The combination of the size of vehicle, drink and phone came together to produce such tragic consequences."