Inquiry into death of 25-year-old German HGV driver announced
An inquiry into the death of a 25-year-old driver in an HGV accident in Dumfries and Galloway has been announced.
German national Thomas Hein was killed on July 14 2023 after his HGV crashed on the A74(M) Glasgow to Carlisle Road near Moffat, near junction 15.
The crash took place at around 2.05pm.
On Friday, the Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service (COPFS) announced it had lodged a first notice for a fatal accident inquiry (FAI) into the death of the long-haulage driver.
A preliminary hearing has been set for March 4, and the FAI will be held on May 29 at Dumfries Sheriff Court.
Mr Hein was originally from Baden-Wurttemberg and was employed by construction company Josef Schnell.
The purpose of the FAI is to look into the death as it occurred while Mr Hein was working.
The aim of an FAI is not to attribute blame to any party, but instead, to determine the cause of death, the circumstances surrounding the death, to establish what precautions could have been taken, if any, and finally, to minimise the risk of future deaths in future.
Procurator fiscal Andy Shanks, who leads death investigations for COPFS, said: “The death of Thomas Hein occurred while in the course of his employment and as such a fatal accident inquiry is mandatory.
“The lodging of the first notice enables FAI proceedings to commence under the direction of the sheriff.
“Mr Hein’s family will continue to be kept informed of significant developments as court proceedings progress.”
