Southampton Hampshire Friday 14th October 2016 A LORRY driver was using his mobile phone when his truck crashed into the back of a car, killing two friends, a court heard today. Keith Mees, 49, was driving an HGV when he caused a motorway smash involving two other lorries and a Ford Mondeo. The driver of the Mondeo, 35-year-old Marian Olteanu, and passenger Ion Calin, 42, were both pronounced dead at the scene on the M271 in Southampton, Hants. Another lorry driver was rushed to Southampton General Hospital with serious injuries following the crash on December 1 of last year. Today at South
Southampton Hampshire Friday 14th October 2016 A LORRY driver was using his mobile phone when his truck crashed into the back of a car, killing two friends, a court heard today. Keith Mees, 49, was driving an HGV when he caused a motorway smash involving two other lorries and a Ford Mondeo. The driver of the Mondeo, 35-year-old Marian Olteanu, and passenger Ion Calin, 42, were both pronounced dead at the scene on the M271 in Southampton, Hants. Another lorry driver was rushed to Southampton General Hospital with serious injuries following the crash on December 1 of last year. Today at Southampton Crown Court Mees stood and only spoke to admit two counts of causing death by dangerous driving and one count of causing serious injury by dangerous driving. Mees, of Newhall, Derbyshire, wearing a white shirt and patterned green tie, appeared to fight back tears as he admitted the charges. Prosecutor Simon Jones told the court Mees, driving a Scania Heavy Tractor HGV, was distracted while driving as he was using his phone. He said: "This is a case of using a mobile phone while driving causing a distraction and ultimately leading to their deaths.” Judge Nicholas Rowland adjourned the sentencing for a pre-sentencing report and so the family members of Mr Olteanu and Mr Calin, both of Shirley in Southampton, can attend. Judge Rowland said: "Mr Mees you will be sentenced on December 2. "You will be bailed but you know the outcome of this case is inevitable. "You are now disqualified from driving and the judge on December 2 will decide the length of that ban." Father-of-two Mr Calin had been working in the building trade. He was originally from eastern Romania but moved to the UK with his family several years ago. Mr Olteanu was also a Romanian national and understood to be a colleague of Mr Calin. His wife Veronica described him as 'a really good father' who would be missed. The collision caused the entire motorway to be closed throughout the night and the carr
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