A lorry driver who was on a video call when he crashed into stationary traffic on the M20, killing a father of two, has been sentenced to 11 years in prison. Zvonko Tomisa, 58, from Croatia, was driving a MAN lorry at about 55mph when he failed to notice queuing traffic near Lenham, Kent.
The crash occurred between junctions 9 and 8 of the M20 at around 8:30am on a day in 2023. Dashcam footage showed Tomisa did not brake until less than one second before impact, hitting a Nissan Qashqai driven by 36-year-old Arran McManus at approximately 48mph. The force of the collision pushed Mr McManus's car into a Scania articulated lorry ahead.
Maidstone Crown Court heard that Tomisa had been using his phone for a prolonged period before the crash. He had video-called his wife at 7:54am, with the call lasting over two minutes, and she called him back at 8:26am. The collision occurred during that call. Phone data revealed multiple calls and messages in the 56 minutes prior to the incident, including a Facebook Messenger exchange about his delivery destination in central London.
Judge Catherine Moore said the crash was not a momentary lapse but involved 'prolonged use of a phone in a highly distracting way.' She noted that Tomisa was 'inevitably focusing on and interacting with the screen' while driving a large vehicle on a motorway. Tomisa initially denied causing death by dangerous driving but later changed his plea to guilty.
Mr McManus, from Ashford, was described by his fiancée Ashleigh Devlin as 'the most wonderful dad' to their two children. He was on his way to work when he died at the scene. Tomisa was also injured but tested negative for drugs and alcohol. His wife was due to have an operation on the day of the crash.
