Rebecca Ableman, 30, was struck and killed by an unsecured crane on a lorry driven by Kevin Miller in Willingham, Cambridgeshire. The incident occurred on September 22, 2022, shortly after 11am, while Ableman was walking her two-year-old daughter Autumn in a pram at the time. Rebecca Ableman pushed the pram to safety, saving her child, before being struck.
The crane was inadequately secured to the lorry; it was attached loosely to the load rather than properly strapped down. The load shifted during the journey on a winding road, causing the crane boom to swing out. Rebecca Ableman suffered catastrophic head and brain injuries and was flown to hospital by air ambulance.
Kevin Miller was unaware of the collision at the time and continued his journey. He learned of the incident when police confronted him at his depot later that day, around 2pm. Kevin Miller stopped later to move the crane back to the centre of the lorry, unaware of the collision.
Rebecca Ableman died on October 16, 2022, after life support was turned off. Rebecca Ableman's daughter Autumn started school for the first time in 2024.
Kevin Miller, the lorry driver, was 71 years old at the time of sentencing. He was driving a lorry transporting 18 tonnes of disused railway track for scrap. Kevin Miller left King's Lynn depot at around 3:40-3:50am on September 22 and drove to a Network Rail yard in Leigh-on-Sea, Essex.
I had never been told that the crane should be strapped down separately.
Kevin Miller was sentenced to 13 months in prison at Peterborough Crown Court. Kevin Miller was banned from driving for two years and six months. Kevin Miller pleaded guilty to causing death by careless driving.
The prosecution accepted the lesser charge of causing death by careless driving after consultations with expert witnesses and the victim's family. The speed limit on the road was 30mph, and Miller's tachograph indicated he was traveling at about that speed. Prosecutor William Carter said it should have been obvious to Miller that the crane was not properly secured.
Kevin Miller told police he had never been told that the crane should be strapped down separately. Since the incident, Kevin Miller has suffered with his physical and mental health, described as a broken man. Kevin Miller lost three stone in six weeks and was devastated at the harm he caused.
An industry campaign called 'Strap down your loader crane' was launched in February 2022 by the Association of Lorry Loaders Manufacturers and Importers (ALLMI). Kevin Miller told police he had never been told that the crane should be strapped down separately.
It remains unclear what specific safety protocols or training Kevin Miller received regarding securing crane loads prior to the incident. Additionally, whether any regulatory or criminal investigations are ongoing into the depot or companies involved in the transport operation has not been confirmed. The exact mechanical failure or sequence that caused the crane boom to swing out and strike Rebecca Ableman is also unknown.
Further unknowns include what compensation or support has been provided to Rebecca Ableman's family following her death. The current status of Kevin Miller's health and any ongoing legal appeals or parole considerations are not publicly detailed.