Man, 31, given 10 year driving ban and 5 years and 4 months’ imprisonment following fatal crash in Downley
A 31 year old man of Parsonage Close, High Wycombe was sentenced to five years and four months’ imprisonment at Aylesbury Crown Court on Wednesday 22nd December 2015 for causing the death of one of his passengers by dangerous driving.
The man pleaded guilty to one count of causing death by dangerous driving at the same court on Monday 14th December 2015 after being charged charged with the offence on Monday 19th October 2015.
At 2.20am on Monday 4th May 2015 a Volkswagen Golf being driven by the convicted man was involved in a collision with a flat bed lorry and a Citroen Berlingo both of which were parked in Plomer Green Lane.
One of the passengers in a rear seat of the Volkswagen Golf, Jonathon Lane, 27, from High Wycombe was taken to Stoke Mandeville Hospital following the collision however Mr Lane, known to his family as John-Boy died the same day.
An investigation by Thames Valley Police’s Serious Collision Investigation Unit was commended by the judge in the case. It found the convicted man had been drinking with friends at pubs in Wycombe during the previous evening before driving.
At the time of the collision the driver had been travelling between 55mph and 67mph in a 30mph residential area.
A blood sample was taken from the driver which had 196 milligrams of alcohol in 100mls of blood (approximately two and half times the legal limit) and a drug toxicology report found cocaine, cocaine derivatives and cannabis present.
The convicted man was disqualified from driving for 10 years and will have to sit an extended retest to regain his licence.
Speaking following the sentencing, investigating officer DC Alastair Nicholls, said: ‘Drink and drug-driving is totally unacceptable and a serious crime which has catastrophic consequences for those affected.
In this case [the convicted man] had been drinking and taking drugs before getting behind the wheel, ultimately resulting in the death of a young man. The Force invests substantial time and resources into drink-drive operations all year round in a bid to prevent alcohol and drug-related driving incidents.
Thousands of people are tested for drink and drug-driving across the Thames Valley throughout the year.
The sentencing today will never bring Jonathon back for his family who will have to face their first Christmas without him this year and have shown dignity throughout the process. However I hope it will go some way to enabling them to have a sense of closure following the devastating incident.
Please report any drivers you suspect of using drink or drugs by calling 101.‘
