Drink driver jailed for crashing into wall with four children on board after swigging beer at the wheel
A banned, drunk driver who careered into a wall, seriously injuring his partner, after trying to frighten her by deliberately driving dangerously, has been jailed for two years.
Ashley Jones had been travelling at twice the speed limit with four children on the back seats before suddenly pulling on the handbrake as the Renault Clio headed towards a bridge on Brierley Hill Road, Dudley, on August 2, a judge heard.
The 29-year-old – who was more than double the drink-drive limit – was trying to frighten his partner Saron Guestford who had irritated him by accidentally dropping her plate as the family ate at a pub, Wolverhampton Crown Court was told.
Furious Jones ordered them all into the car and accelerated off the car park with wheels spinning, said Mrs Sati Ruck, prosecuting, who continued: "He was drinking from a can of strong beer while driving at speeds up to 60mph in a 30 zone and his partner grabbed the can and threw it out of the window, which made him even more annoyed.
"He deliberately pulled on the handbrake, lost control and and went head on into the bridge parapet."
Jones then ran away after putting his hand over the mouth of badly hurt Miss Guestford to indicate she should not say anything to the police.
He was caught and arrested by officers after a short foot chase and blew 98 microgrammes of alcohol per 100 millilitres of breath. The legal limit is 35.
His partner suffered a fractured pelvis and one of the children – who are all aged six and under – needed stitches in a cut to the head, the court heard.
Jailed
Mrs Ruck concluded: "He deliberately drove fast showing complete disregard for the safety of not only other road users but his own children." Two of the youngsters were his partner's and the others were a niece and nephew.
Mr Exdol Mitchell, defending, conceded: "He does have a problem with alcohol and had voluntarily sought help two months before the crash. He does not challenged to any great extent the version of events given by his partner."
Jones from Lodgefield Road, Halesowen, who had been banned from driving for 20 months last December, admitted causing serious injury by dangerous driving, driving while disqualified and having no insurance.
He was sent to prison, disqualified from driving for five years on release and had his car seized.
Judge Dean Kershaw told him: "You were trying to frighten your partner and broke her pelvis by losing control of a car you should not have been driving in the first place."
