British Firefighter On Trial in Fatal Apparatus Accident

A British firefighter is facing a retrial on charges stemming from a 2009 apparatus accident that killed a civilian, and injured 10 others.

Bedfordshire firefighter Robert Hulatt, 28 was responding to a house fire on September 11, 2009 when his truck collided with another vehicle in an intersection. The accident fatally injured Abdul Lateef Kadri Sheikh, who died 25 days later.

At the time of the accident, Hulatt had the red light. He was charged with causing a death by dangerous driving, and a lesser charge of causing death by careless driving.

A jury failed to reach a verdict in December, 2010, and the case is now being retried. Prosecutor Wayne Cleaver argued to the jury that: “The Crown says this was not an unfortunate accident, it was a collision which could and should have been avoided.”

Here is a video on the original accident.

About Curt Varone

Curt Varone has over 45 years of fire service experience and 35 as a practicing attorney licensed in both Rhode Island and Maine. His background includes 29 years as a career firefighter in Providence (retiring as a Deputy Assistant Chief), as well as volunteer and paid on call experience. He is the author of two books: Legal Considerations for Fire and Emergency Services, (2006, 2nd ed. 2011, 3rd ed. 2014, 4th ed. 2022) and Fire Officer's Legal Handbook (2007), and is a contributing editor for Firehouse Magazine writing the Fire Law column.
x

Check Also

Volunteer Firefighter Charged With Public Records Violation

A volunteer firefighter in New York is facing criminal charges for allegedly giving himself and family members credit for emergency responses they did not go to. James P. Burns, 27, is accused of entering false information into Cutchogue Fire Department’s electronic record-keeping system on September 30, 2023.

Colorado Springs Settles Wrongful Death Suit for $160k

The City of Colorado Springs has agreed to settle a wrongful death suit brought by the daughter of a homeless woman who was inadvertently run over by a brush unit responding to a fire in a park in 2022. Margaret Miller, 76, was lying on the ground under debris and blankets on a dirt path.