Tribute to 'inspirational' nurse killed by careless Bristol driver

Stacey Steer donated her organs to save lives

A family have paid tribute to an "inspirational" nurse who saved lives through organ donation after she was killed by a careless driver.

Stacey Steer, 52, died after the motorcycle her husband was driving was hit on the A39 in Holford in May 2021.

Sean Coates, 29, from Bristol fled the scene of the crash in Somerset and has been sentenced to 21 weeks in prison.

Ms Steer's husband Carl Steer, who survived the crash, said his wife was the "very core" of their family.

On 30 May 2021, Ms Steer had been travelling with her husband on his motorcycle as a pillion passenger when they were hit by an Audi driven by Coates.

Stacey Steer was airlifted to hospital but died from her injuries

The driver pulled out to overtake a slow-moving vehicle and failed to see the motorcycle had already started overtaking the traffic.

He knocked both passengers off the motorbike and then left the scene, failing to stop or call emergency services. He then tried to clean his car with baby wipes.

Coates, of Alcove Road, was sentenced to 21 weeks in prison at Taunton Crown Court on Monday after pleading guilty to death by careless driving.

Stacey Steer was the sort of person everyone liked, her family said

Mr Steer paid tribute to his wife who died after being airlifted to hospital.

He said: "Stacey held a place in all our hearts that I cannot describe in words.

"If you could have met her, you would have liked her, Stacey was that sort of person.

"Stacey spent her life dedicated to her family and her work as an intensive care nurse, never thinking of herself, always others."

'Will never hold grandson'

He continued: "Through her gift of organ donation other people and their families have been given fresh hope. Even after her passing, she would still be saving lives, exactly what Stacey would have wanted.

"The worst part is not that we have lost Stacey, she was part of our lives and we will always be grateful, but Stacey will never hold our grandson, and he will never get to be loved by such a wonderful person."

Mr Steer thanked police for their investigation work and said his wife would "never be forgotten".

Stacey Steer was riding as a pillion passenger on a motorcycle when the crash happened

He continued: "For her life to be taken away so senselessly is only compounded by the complete disregard Mr Coates had for his actions, by not only fleeing the scene, but by making every effort to save himself from justice with no thought of the lives he had destroyed.

"There will never be a sentence long enough in our eyes for what he has done.

"Hopefully others will see the devastation caused to our family and friends as deterrent to driving carelessly, and if one life is saved, then at least some good can come of this tragedy."

Judge Cook disqualified Coates from driving for two years and 10 weeks.

Sean Coates tried to clean his car with baby wipes

He said: "Your actions showed a complete desolation of the family's life.

"A basic sense of compassion and empathy should have compelled you to stop at the scene.

"The aggravating factor of this case is not the manner of your driving, but your actions afterwards."

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