A 70-YEAR-OLD motorist has been charged after a man died following a hit-and-run in Belleek on Thursday.
Richard Maze, 70, who was riding a motorbike, died at the scene.
Police received a report of the accident on the Boa Island Road at around 2:55pm on Thursday. A PSNI spokesperson said Mr Maze’s motorbike collided with a dark-coloured car which failed to stop.
A keen motorcyclist who regularly went on trips across Europe, Mr Maze, from Lisburn, was a respected member of Northern Ireland’s Fire and Rescue Service having served with the organisation for more than 30 years.
He was best known for his work in leading the review into the Stormont fire in 1995, which completely destroyed the debating chamber and caused hundreds of thousands of pounds worth of damage.
He later created the Northern Ireland Crown Inspection Team, which examined the fire safety of government buildings and helped write the Fire Safety Standards for Northern Ireland.
“Richard was at the top of his game, and a huge loss to us,” Joseph Birt, the managing director of Fire Risk Solutions Northern Ireland where Mr Maze worked as a fire safety consultant, told the Belfast Telegraph.
“He was such a positive person, with a spring in a step. He never seemed to have a bad day and was a great person to be around.
“He was a mentor, he loved sharing his vast knowledge with the team. He was a titan in the fire safety industry and they are the people who today are very broke about this news.”
A service of celebration for Mr Maze’s life took place in Seymour Street Methodist Church, Lisburn, yesterday (Tuesday).
The man who has been charged was arrested on suspicion of causing death by dangerous driving on Thursday.
He has since been charged with causing death by dangerous driving, failing to remain where accident occurred causing injury, failing to report an accident whereby injury was caused and failing to stop where accident occurred causing injury.
He is due to appear at Enniskillen Magistrates’ Court on October 14.
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