Mum’s ‘time cut far too short’ after horror crash
A new mum had her ‘time cut far too short’ as a result of a horror crash which ended her life. Tara Green, 32, died after her Vauxhall Mokka collided with a Ford Mondeo driven by Victor Grimmer on the A158 on the evening of Saturday, December 12, 2020, between Lincoln[1] and Horncastle[2].
Grimmer, 62, of Main Street, Huthwaite, has been sentenced to five years in prison for causing the death of Miss Green by dangerous driving. Grimmer had crossed over into the eastbound carriageway and hit a white Vauxhall Mokka travelling towards Skegness[3] just after 5.45pm.
The Mokka driven by Miss Green rotated 180 degrees and left the carriageway, landing in a field on its side. Miss Green died at the scene, while the front-seat passenger suffered extremely serious and life-changing injuries.
Grimmer was also given a three year sentence for causing serious injury to Miss Green’s partner, which will run alongside his current sentence. Lincolnshire Police[5] said Grimmer told investigators during a police interview he had been blinded by oncoming lights or he may have been cleaning his windscreen when the collision took place.
During a trial, Lincoln Crown Court heard that forensic tests showed the oncoming Vauxhall Mokka did not have its lights on main beam for at least 3 seconds prior to the collision. A jury found him guilty of the offences before he was sentenced.
He was also banned from driving for seven and half years, and ordered to take an extended retest. The family of Miss Green released a statement, saying: “The verdict was obviously the right one, but we are now trying to live our lives without our beautiful, treasured daughter and sister.
“We know that no sentence given would justify our loss but once again our judicial system has proved inadequate with its interpretation of what sentence should be awarded to a remorseless individual who has taken away the life of someone special who had so much to look forward to. Tara, you will be missed and loved forever by us and by all your family and friends.”
Miss Green’s partner said: “Although there’s been some justice today (all being not long enough), Tara Green will never get her life back, I will never heal from my injuries physically, mentally and emotionally. Our baby will never know her other parent in addition to having life-limiting health issues.
“My best friend and partner of seven years got taken away at a moment in life when our family was just starting and that loss will never be filled. I’ll forever cherish Tara and the time we had together, time cut far too short.”
References
- ^ Lincoln (www.lincolnshirelive.co.uk)
- ^ Horncastle (www.lincolnshirelive.co.uk)
- ^ Skegness (www.lincolnshirelive.co.uk)
- ^ ‘Inadequate’ Lincoln Castle Academy looking to move to larger trust after recent Ofsted inspection (www.lincolnshirelive.co.uk)
- ^ Lincolnshire Police (www.lincolnshirelive.co.uk)