Renault van crushed after tired lorry driver ploughed into stationary traffic on M11 at Harlow

A tired lorry driver who ploughed into the back of stationary traffic on the M11 - crushing a van and the motorist inside it - has been jailed for just over two years.

Police said Ivan Zhyhan could be seen on his cab's own CCTV footage trying to keep himself awake as he drove towards the hold-ups on the southbound carriageway in February 2019.

Despite illuminated warning signs indicating a lane closure, the articulated lorry was still travelling at 45mph when it hit the back of a Renault Kangoo which was sitting in a queue of traffic.

The van was shunted forward, crushing it into the back of the stationary lorry in front, causing the driver serious injuries including two skull fractures, a bleed on the brain and fractures in his neck, ribs, vertebrae and shoulder.

Following a trial at Basildon Crown Court, Zhyhan, 50, was found guilty of causing serious injury by dangerous driving. He was sentenced to two years and four months in prison and has been disqualified from driving for three years.

PC Alan Marks, of Essex Police, said the van driver had still not fully recovered.

"Ivan Zhyhan was too tired to drive," he added. "His journey was captured by dash cam CCTV footage from within the cab and showed how he was trying to keep himself awake but, ultimately, he failed.

"The collision was completely preventable if he had only stopped at the services at junction eight and rested."

Zhyhan, formerly of St Chads Road in Tilbury in Essex, had claimed he had not seen the van until he was around 20 metres away from it despite other vehicles around him travelling slowly and the van's hazard lights being on.

He denied the charge against him.

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