Nicky Hayden death driver sentenced
Hayden was hit while cycle training near Misano circuit on May 17th 2017, and died five days later.
MORE THAN a year after Nicky Hayden was hit by a car and killed while cycling near Misano circuit, the driver responsible for his death has been found guilty of homicide.
Court proceedings have been ongoing in the interim period, with not only the criminal case facing the unnamed, but also a civil suit from the Hayden family.
The Italian court has now concluded the initial criminal proceedings, and found the 31-year-old driver of the car guilty of homicide. He has been handed a suspended sentence of one year in prison (which is custom in Italy), had his driving license revoked, and will be required to pay the costs of the court. However, Pierluigi Autunno, the driver’s lawyer, said the case will go to appeal.
“It was a drama for two families,” he said.
“We will appeal, there are more reports and everything revolves around the causal link. We believe that my client has done everything to avoid the accident. We await the motivations with confidence and we will appeal.”
Hayden was hit after rolling through a stop sign on May 17th, 2017, and died five days later in hospital. The MotoGP champion was just 35-years-old. The car that hit him was travelling close to 70 km/h (43mph) in a 50 km/h (31mph) zone and the judge ruled that had he been driving slower, the driver would have been able to avoid the accident. He is expected to disclose the full reasoning behind the sentencing in 90 days’ time.
While the driver has been sentenced in court, the Hayden family continues to pursue a $6 million (£4.5 million) civil suit against him, the maximum covered by the Italian insurance policy.
