UK driver may have fainted, killed cyclist

A woman in England who ran over and killed a cyclist was found not guilty of causing death by dangerous driving after claiming that she may have fainted at the wheel of her car.

Tracy Johnson, 35, hit mother of three, Sharon Corless, 43, in her 4x4 Range Rover when Mrs Corless was out riding her bicycle with her husband Peter Corless, 47.

After hitting Mrs Corless, the Range Rover then hit Mrs Corless' husband Peter at up to 82 km per hour before smashing into another car and then hitting a lamp-post on a roundabout, reports British daily publication, the Daily Mail.

Enquiries revealed Ms Johnson, who lives in Cheshire, had been on her phone 'minutes' before the crash but there was no evidence to suggest that she was making or receiving a call at the time of impact.

Charged with causing death by dangerous driving, Johnson could have faced up to 14 years in jail had she been convicted.

But the charge was dropped Monday after medical experts said it was possible Ms Johnson may have fainted at the wheel.

A doctor said fainting would explain why Johnson didn't apply the brakes, but instead accelerated, and allowed the care to drift seemingly out of control before hitting the Corless', and then crashing

Corless' family are angry at the court's decision.

Mr Corless 47, said he was 'mystified and bewildered' and warned it might 'open the floodgates' to help killer drivers get off scot-free, reports the Daily Mail.

- NZ HERALD STAFF