STV: Inquiry under way into champion cyclist death
Jason MacIntyre died following a collision with a truck whilst training near his home in Fort William.
01 March 2010 08:51 AM
Inquiry Under Way: Scottish cycling champion Jason MacIntyre died in 2008
A Fatal Accident Inquiry (FAI) into the death of Scottish champion cyclist Jason MacIntyre got under way on Monday.
MacIntyre, who was due to compete in this year’s Commonwealth Games in Delhi, was killed whilst training near his Fort William home in January 2008 following a collision with a council truck.
The driver, Robert McTaggat, was fined £500 in August 2008 after being charged with careless driving in connection with the crash.
Jason’s widow Caroline MacIntyre has pressed for the FAI claiming the police inquiry held at the time “raised more questions than it answered”.
The FAI, at Fort William Sheriff Court will last for three days – where the bicycle MacIntyre was riding when the crash happened will be produced as evidence.
Father-of-two MacIntyre represented Scotland in the 2002 Commonwealth Games in Manchester and won the British 25-mile Time Trial twice.
He was also the first Scot to win the British Circuit race Time Trial Championship and broke former world champion cyclist Graham Obree’s 10-mile time trial record in 2007.
More than 400 mourners attended Mr MacIntyre’s funeral, including Graham Obree and representatives from Scottish Cycling, the sport’s governing body. Scottish Cycling president Jock Shaw paid tribute to him, saying: “We have lost one of our finest cyclists.”
Mrs MacIntyre – who is full time carer for one of the couple’s daughters, who has had a kidney transplant and is registered blind – is suing Highland Council for £500,000 damages for the loss of the family breadwinner.
Highland Council is contesting the claim which it describes as “excessive”.
At a press conference to announce that an FAI was finally to be held, Mrs MacIntyre said: “I can’t believe I’ve had to fight so hard to try to find out what really happened to Jason… I now where and when Jason died but not how or why, and that makes it so difficult to come to terms with losing him.”
Last updated: 02 March 2010, 07:49
