'Pile-up hero' charges dropped

Kevin Rix after he swerved off the carriageway in March

A crane driver who was accused of dangerous driving after he swerved off a carriageway to avoid a 52 car pile-up has had the case against him dropped.

Kevin Rix, who was hailed a hero after the crash on the A2, near Dover, said he was relieved the Crown Prosecution Service had dropped the charges.

The driver, from Temple Ewell near Dover, had been charged with driving without due care and attention for manoeuvring his 25 ton crane onto the verge of the A2 on 27 March.

Sittingbourne Magistrates said they will be asking the Crown Prosecution Service why it took eight months to decide not to prosecute Mr Rix.

'Depressed'

After the hearing on Friday, Mr Rix said: I felt as though I had done a really good thing avoiding the pile-up and a lot of people were telling me I had done a really good thing and then all of this came about.

"It depressed me for a long time but now I do feel as if a great weight has been lifted."

His solicitor Andrew McCooey said even though it was a complex case, the prosecution should never have been brought in the first place.

Mr McCooey said: "It was a very serious pile-up involving many vehicles in fog but of course Mr Rix's driving and his quick thinking prevented further harm to people or to vehicles."

Mr Rix has said he will never drive a crane or heavy goods vehicle again.