A driver from South Ockendon who killed a cyclist following a hit and run crash on New Year's Eve has been jailed. Ravinder Matharu, 32, was on the phone to his girlfriend while driving his brother’s Peugeot 206 on Arisdale Avenue when he collided with 43-year-old Matei Alexandru at around 7.50pm. Mr Alexandru, a Romanian national who had been in the country for a year and was living on Buckles Lane, was pronounced dead at the scene despite the efforts of members of the public and paramedics who provided CPR.
A post mortem was carried out by Dr Benjamin Swift at Basildon Hospital, with the provisional cause of death given as multiple injuries, including severe traumatic spinal injuries.
Following the collision, Matharu, of Erriff Drive, made off from the scene with significant damage to his car, including to the windscreen and one of the headlights. He did not report the incident to the police or to the ambulance service.
Matharu pleaded guilty to causing death by dangerous driving, failing to stop at the scene of a collision, failing to report a collision, driving whilst disqualified and aggravated taking without consent at Basildon Crown Court earlier this year. He was sentenced to four years and one month in prison at the same court today (Monday, August 19) and was also disqualified from driving for a further seven years.
Matharu has to take an extended test if he ever wishes to drive again.
