Man pleads not guilty to causing death of Hartlepool pensioner

Grandfather Raymond Parkinson, 77, from Hartlepool, died at the scene of a collision on the A66, close to the Fox Hall Inn, near Richmond, North Yorkshire, more than 18 months ago.

Catalin Aurel Nicolae, 35, of Westwood Crescent, Hamilton, in Scotland, denied a charge of causing death by careless driving at York Crown Court earlier this week and now faces a jury trial at the same court.

He was granted bail until Monday, April 20, next year.

The collision took place at 3,26pm on Sunday, November 26, 2017, with the road closed in both directions for more than 90 minutes.

The smash involved a white Renault Premium HGV truck, a silver Seat Ibiza and a black Nissan Qashqai.

Nicolae, said to be the driver of the HGV, was arrested in connection with Mr Parkinson’s death and released under investigation while lengthy inquiries continued.

He was eventually charged earlier this year.

An obituary in the Hartlepool Mail shortly after Mr Parkinson's death described the pensioner, who was driving the Qashqai at the time of the crash, as “a deeply thoughtful and considerate man who touched so many people's lives in Hartlepool and Middlesbrough”.

The A66 between Scotch Corner and Penrith is regarded as one of the country's most dangerous routes because of its mix of single and dual lanes and its exposure to extreme weather.