The driver responsible for the hit-and-run incident that killed cyclist Clifford Micallef (photo) on the Coast Road in 2009, has been sentenced to three years in jail and barred from driving for one year.

Anthony Taliana was 21 when, on July 30 at around 5.15am, when he was driving a British girlfriend to her residence in Buġibba after a night out in Paceville.

Close to the entrance to the White Rocks Complex, the driver of the Opel Astra crashed into the veteran cyclist, who died on the spot. He was 45.

The driver drove on, dropping his friend at Buġibba before making his way to his father’s garage in Ħamrun. Some hours later the police managed to track down the owner of the vehicle, the accused’s father. The suspect was later found in bed, fast asleep, inside his Buġibba flat.

Criminal charges were filed against him for involuntary homicide, drink-driving, driving without third party insurance cover, driving at excessive speed and relapsing, after having already been convicted of dangerous driving.

Court experts reported that at the time of the collision, road conditions were dry and visibility was good. Contact damages on the Opel revealed that the driver had been going at some 90km/hr when he crashed into the bicycle at the rear, sending its rider hurling at impact speed.

A medical expert certified that Micallef had been killed as a direct result of the violent impact.

Although testing negative to drugs, a chemical expert had concluded that a urine sample taken from the accused some six hours after the incident had indicated a strong presence of alcohol, classifying the driver as in a state of “euphoria/excitement” meaning diminution of attention, judgement and control and impaired perception.