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Hit and run killer gets five years in jail

Chingford motorist jailed after crash that orphaned a ten year-old boy

A Chingford motorist who killed a cyclist and then drove off was jailed for five years yesterday.

The Waltham Forest Guardian reports that 37 year-old Ali Altuntas was driving on the A413 in Gerrards Cross, Buckinghamshire, last year when he hit 47 year-old council worker Jim Fleming, who died instantly.

The crash made an orphan of Mr Fleming’s 10 year-old son William, who had lost his mother to cervical cancer just a year beforehand.

Altuntas denied causing death by dangerous driving but jurors at Aylesbury Crown Court unanimously found him guilty. He was given four years in jail for that offence and a further year for perverting the course of justice.

The Judge Lord Parmoor told Altuntas, “You were driving at 70 mph. You ploughed into him... You didn't go and check the body, you decided that you wanted to run away to try and avoid conviction. You left him lying there and fled.”

Lifelong lover of most things cycling-related, from Moulton Mini adventures in the 70s to London bike messengering in the 80s, commuting in the 90s, mountain biking in the noughties and road cycling throughout. Editor of Simpson Magazine (www.simpsonmagazine.cc). 

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7 comments

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Karbon Kev | 14 years ago
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Usual ridiculous sentence for MURDER, cos that's what it is. When is the law system going to realise that the motor car is a potential murder weapon, easily as deadly as a gun or knife?

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bikeandy61 | 14 years ago
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It isn't just cycle accidents. In my local area we have had a case of a 19 year old Quad riding knuckle dragger who lost control of his machine on a bend and hit an oncoming car. His teenage female friend/pillion was thrown off and seriously injured. The big man rode off leaving her in the road. She died in Hospital 4 days later. He's got some community service and I'm not even sure of a fine. Nice! The roads are the best murder weapon out.

BTW - why do Quad bikes seem to attract a certain type? Are they totally unregulated? Is it just that you can ride them without a helmet?

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Simon E | 14 years ago
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The killer should also pay maintenance until the child is 18, or finishes his education.

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mrchrispy | 14 years ago
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both parents within a year...tragic.
My heart goes out to the little chap.
And hope that fecker gets to bunk with bubba every sodding night he spends inside.

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cat1commuter | 14 years ago
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If he'd stopped, phoned the police and ambulance, and explained that he "didn't see him" and the cyclist "came out of nowhere", then he'd probably have a few points on his licence and a fine of a few hundred pounds. Or am I being over-cynical?

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kitkat | 14 years ago
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i suspect the majority of that five years is for driving off, not for killing someone and the bike doesn't even factor.

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crunch61 | 14 years ago
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Only 5 years?  14

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