The truck driver did not realise he had hit anyone until he was made aware by someone else
A heavy goods driver has avoided jail “by the skin of his teeth” after he knocked down and killed a Ukrainian cyclist in London while behind the wheel of a 44-tonne tipper truck. Tristan Renshaw 47, failed to spot 60-year-old Zinovly Savyulak in his mirrors and crashed into him as he attempted a left turn on the afternoon of December 15 2022.
On Monday, Old Bailey Judge Philip Katz KC sentenced Renshaw to 18 months in custody, suspended for two years, and ordered an additional 150 hours of unpaid work. He told the defendant that he had avoided a jail time “by the skin of your teeth”.
The judge noted Renshaw had already spent a month on remand and said that should send a “clear message to you of where you nearly ended up today”.
The court heard how Renshaw had been driving along North End Road in Fulham, west London, when he indicated to turn left and collided with Mr Savyulak, who had been cycling in the same direction. The truck driver did not realise he had hit anyone until he was made aware by someone else and heard the mortally injured victim begin to scream. Mr Savyulak had sustained catastrophic injuries and later died at the scene.
At his Old Bailey trial, Renshaw blamed poor lighting and the victim’s dark clothing for his failure to see him. However, the prosecution asserted that the cyclist would have been visible in the tipper truck’s mirrors had Renshaw made proper checks.
A jury rejected Renshaw’s explanation and found the father-of-two, from Staines, guilty of causing the death by dangerous driving. In his sentencing, Judge Katz accepted Renshaw’s expression of remorse.
Referring to his evidence at trial, the judge told him: “I do not blame you for casting around for explanation for how this dreadful situation took place but it is unimpressive you did not face the truth. The fact is you simply did not see Mr Savyulak and that is not a defence.
“I am sure you made no final check in your mirror. You did not see Mr Savyulak because you did not check properly a final time before you turned left.”
The judge paid tribute to the victim’s widow for her “grace, dignity and composure” throughout the proceedings. He said the impact on her had been “severe”, not only because she lost her husband but because it had also “imperilled her means of survival”.
Judge Katz also criticised the years-long delay in bringing the case to trial, saying it was neither “justified” nor “acceptable”.
In her victim impact statement, Mr Savyulak’s widow described how the death of her husband had “completely changed” her life as she dealt with the psychological and financial fallout.
She added: “The defendant and his family are also facing major problems and are under a lot of stress right now. I have no right to judge anyone, because that’s life and we never know what lies ahead. That’s what the judicial system is for, and it will decide everything.”
The court heard Renshaw had previous convictions dating back to 1997 for driving offences including dangerous driving, taking a vehicle without consent and driving whilst disqualified.
The court was told he had past problems with alcohol and drugs and had been diagnosed with autism and bipolar disorder.
Renshaw was disqualified from driving for 12 months.
