Saskia Bets: Bus driver to stand trial over death of school worker, 27, in crash on A19 in Yorkshire

Saskia Bets, 27, from Easingwold, died in Hull Royal Infirmary after her Audi A1 was struck by the empty single-decker Volvo bus during the morning rush hour in January 2021.

The collision took place on the A19 at Tollerton, between Shipton and Easingwold.

Jonathan Eaves, 24, of Preston, appeared before Judge Sean Morris at York Crown Court on Monday morning to enter a plea to a charge of causing Saskia’s death by dangerous driving.

He denied the offence and will now go on trial before a jury in September. The case is expected to last six days.

The defence case will rest on whether his driving met the threshold to be considered as dangerous, but no further details of the incident were given.

Saskia, a former pupil of Lady Lumley’s School in Pickering, worked for the Ebor Academy Trust as a behaviour and wellbeing mentor at Hob Moor Oaks Academy in the Acomb area of York.

She was renovating a house with her partner, Sam Reid, and was described as ‘bright, beautiful and hugely caring’ by headteacher Olivia Hargreaves and ‘kindness in its purest form’ by Mr Reid.

During the Covid-19 pandemic she designed and delivered sensory stories for children with additional needs who were shielding and learning remotely.

Eaves, who is believed to still be working as a bus driver, suffered only minor injuries in the collision.