Prison “almost inevitable” for van driver who knocked and killed GB triathlete riding time trial

A van driver who knocked down and killed Team GB triathlete Rebecca Comins who was riding a time trial, and later told the police that he “misjudged” the overtake, has been found guilty by court, with the judge saying that a prison sentence is “almost inevitable”.

Comins, who was a member of the Dragon Tri Club, Newport Phoenix Cycling Club and Caldicot Running Club, represented the Great Britain Age Group Team at the European Triathlon Championships in Estonia in 2018, as well as at the World Triathlon Championships in Switzerland in 2019.

She was taking part in a time trial road race organised by the Monmouthshire Wheelers on the A40 near Raglan, Monmouthshire, when she was struck by a Vauxhall Movano van driven by Vasile Barbu from Abergavenny on 2 June 2022. Comins was “thrown into the air” off her bike and died after suffering blunt chest injuries.

At the trial, Barbu, 49, denied causing death by dangerous driving, but admitted causing death due to careless driving. He claimed that he saw the victim due to a red flashing light on the rear of her bike had given Mrs Comins a gap to pass her, but could not explain why he hit her.

The Cardiff Crown Court also heard that Barbu had an empty lane of a dual carriageway he could have used to avoid the collision but instead went straight into the back of her, Wales Online reports.

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A subsequent investigation conducted by a forensic collision investigator concluded Mrs Comins would have been visible for at least 500 metres prior to impact. The cyclist was half a metre from the edge of the road, and the outside lane was clear to allow for the defendant to pass her without issue, the court heard.

Fellow cyclist Tim Radley was behind Mrs Comins and recalled being “buzzed” by Barbu’s van as it passed by him. He said the defendant was not travelling at excessive speed but was “excessively close”, which left him concerned it would cause his bike to wobble.

Two miles down the road, he saw Barbu’s van had stopped in the carriageway and there was debris in the road. Another driver also saw the collision in his rear view mirror having passed Mrs Comins. He said he saw that Barbu hit Comin, which caused her to be thrown off to the left onto the grass verge.

Attempts were made by passers-by to help Mrs Comins until the arrival of the emergency services but despite their best efforts, the cyclist died at the scene as a result of her injuries. Barbu, who remained at the roadside, spoke to police and appeared upset. He tested negative for alcohol and drugs, and his eyesight was found to be fine.

Barbu had an empty lane of a dual carriageway he could have used to avoid the collision but instead went straight into the back of her, Cardiff Crown Court heard.

Prosecutor James Wilson said: “He told police he made his manoeuvre to pass and used his hands to indicate to police he made a gliding movement past her.

“He said he then heard a knock. He told police ‘I don’t think I hit her’ but he stopped because he thought a parcel had moved in the back of his fully loaded van. He said when he stopped he could not see anything in the back but he saw damage to the headlight then he saw the cyclist on the ground and the damaged bike.”

“Rebecca Comins was there to be seen. Visibility was good, she was cycling with a bright rear light so was clearly obvious to other witnesses. Her presence on that road was not unexpected.

“Barbu would have seen the road signs for the cycling event taking place and would have passed other similar cyclists before he reached Mrs Comins. She was cycling in a proper manner and correctly positioned on the road. She was on a long, straight stretch of road with plenty of time for him to see her.

“This was not a momentary misjudgement or lack of concentration. From the road and the weather conditions and how conspicuous she would have been, the defendant’s failure to avoid colliding into the back of Mrs Comins was a gross, catastrophic failure which amounted to dangerous driving.

“His dangerous driving caused the death of Mrs Comins.”

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The defendant’s lawyer asked the jury to put emotion to one side and to consider the evidence dispassionately. He said Barbu had “safely” passed half a dozen other cyclists taking part in the road race before encountering Mrs Comins and said there had been no concerns about the standard of his driving at that stage — despite the comments made by fellow time trialist Tim Radley.

He added: “Mr Barbu's case is that he went to go around the bike but for some reason misguided it. He accepts he has done wrong - it is a burden he will have to live with for the rest of his life.”

Barbu has been granted bail until sentencing on 5 July, with Judge Shomon Khan telling the driver: “Prison is almost inevitable.”

Comins, mother of two, was described by her family as “incredibly kind and an inspiration to so many”.

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At the time of her death, Welsh Triathlon also paid tribute to her following her death, saying: “Becky was a fierce competitor, but with it had a positivity and energy that was infectious.

“The current Vintage Veteran Champion of the Welsh Triathlon Super Series, a title which she also won in 2019, Becky was due to compete in a Welsh tri-suit at the British Championships this weekend at WTS Leeds as part of Tîm Tri Cymru along with her son George. She was also looking forward to racing at the British Sprint Championships in Cardiff.

“She loved the sport; she loved the training and Becky was central to any social activities across her clubs.”

Two weeks ago, an uninsured hit-and-run driver who only held a provisional driving licence was sentenced to 12 years in prison for causing two deaths by dangerous driving, a father and son out cycling when they were fatally hit by the driver who police say showed a “lack of respect and remorse” in initially walking over to the critically injured cyclists before getting back in his badly damaged car and fleeing the scene, causing a second collision a short time later.

Earlier this year, a truck driver who was already disqualified from driving at the time and previously had 33 other convictions, including traffic offences such as drink driving was sentenced to 21 months in prison and disqualified again for five years after he jumped a red light and hit an elderly Dublin cyclist, leaving her with life-changing injuries.