German lorry driver who killed car driver when he ploughed into stationary traffic on M25 had been driving for15 HOURS without a rest Anton Maizen, 58, from Wixhausen, near Frankfurt, had been at work for almost 23 hours in total Ploughed into the back of stationary traffic on M25 in Essex Pensioner, 79, killed and two others were injured in the smash Maizen was unable to explain why he hit the cars at a speed of 56mph He was jailed for four-and-a-half years at Basildon Crown Court Jailed: German trucker Anton Maizen caused a fatal crash on the M25 after driving for 15 hours without a break A German lorry driver who been on the road for 15 hours without a break when he caused a fatal crash has been jailed for four-and-a-half years. Anton Maizen, 58, ploughed his 40-ton lorry into a queue of traffic on the M25 near Aveley in Essex, killing a 79-year-old man and injuring two others. Maizen, of Wixhausen, south of Frankfurt, admitted one count of causing death by dangerous driving and two counts of causing serious injury by dangerous driving. He was jailed for four-and-a-half years at Basildon Crown Court today. The crash, on Tuesday, April 2, came after Maizen had been at work for nearly 23 hours - driving for 15 of those hours without a break. Maizen's 840-mile journey had begun the previous day in Germany, with the driver entering the UK via Folkestone. He then drove to south London, before continuing on his way to Lincolnshire. During this time he did not take breaks of longer than an hour - and did not have any sustained period of sleep, the court heard. Maizen was returning to the Channel Tunnel when the crash took place. During his police interviews, he was unable to explain why he struck the rear of the queue at his maximum speed of 56mph. He hit a BMW, which contained a mother and her young son, propelling the vehicle into another lane and into the path of a second lorry - though both escaped serious injury. Maizen's tachograph charts were found hidden behind the driver's seat and a data chart in his sock was later found disclosing his route and timings. Wreckage: A man died as a result of the pile up on the M25 in Essex Dangerous: The crash came after Maizen had been at work for nearly 23 hours - with 15 of them spent on the road The German motorist was disqualified from driving for five years and ordered to take an extended driving test in order to regain his licence. Tailbacks: The German was also disqualified from driving for five years following the collision Judge Owen Davies QC said: 'It would appear that you failed to slow your vehicle and were still driving at 50mph when you applied the brakes. Expert evidence shows it must have been fatigue that caused this incident. You had been driving for 22 hours and 44 minutes without the lengthy period of rest required. Your actions in those brief moments have caused untold misery on others. James Harrison, mitigating, told the court his client deeply regretted his actions and took complete responsibility for the suffering he has caused. He said: 'He knows that words are not enough to express the regret he feels for those who suffered loss and injury as a result of his actions. Had he foreseen the likelihood of any incident like this unfolding he would never have climbed behind the wheel of his cab. Inspector Keith Whiting of Essex Police said: 'We believe drivers and owners of foreign and British commercial lorries will take note from this tragic incident that those who disregard the law and the safety of vulnerable people in smaller vehicles around them will be brought to justice, face a prison sentence and a lengthy disqualification. 'We also believe that people who were disrupted for several hours as a result of this crash will appreciate that the complex and meticulous investigation undertaken by Essex Police's Serious Collision Investigation Unit was justified and has successfully brought a driver to justice for causing one death and serious injury of two other road users.'