‘Erratic drink driver, Lee Peartree from Diss, who killed father-of-four, Jonathan Nyashanu, in Earsham crash is jailed
A drink driver from Diss[1] who was more than three times over the limit and killed a father-of-four after his car veered into the opposite lane of traffic has been jailed today.
Lee Peartree, 34, of Appletree Lane, appeared at Norwich Crown Court today and was jailed for nine years.
Peartree pleaded guilty to causing death by dangerous driving, two counts of causing serious injury by dangerous driving and possession of a class B drug, namely cannabis at an earlier hearing.
The court heard how Peartree had been driving a silver Mitsubishi L200 pickup truck on the A143 towards Diss, shortly after 8pm on October 1, 2023, when his car veered into the path of the black Ford S-Max of 40-year-old Jonathan Nyashanu, causing a head-on collision.
Jonathan was travelling towards Great Yarmouth, accompanied by two passengers – despite attempts to save his life, he died at the scene.
His family released a tribute to him, calling the father-of-four ‘A man who embodied the essence of grace, love and resilience.’[2]
His two passengers, a woman in her 20s and another woman in her 30s both suffered multiple fractures and internal injuries and were admitted to hospital for treatment.
Several witnesses described Peartree’s driving prior to the collision as ‘erratic’, he was seen swerving from side-to-side, crossing into the other side of the road and bouncing off of the verges along the road.
Peartree had tried to leave the scene immediately following the collision but was stopped by members of the public until officers arrived.
Several empty bottles of alcohol were found in his vehicle as well as 4.98 grams of cannabis. Peartree provided a roadside breath test which returned a result of 120 micrograms of alcohol, over three times the legal limit and was later found to have cannabis in his system.
Peartree was taken to hospital with a serious leg injury, requiring surgery and was arrested on suspicion of causing death by dangerous driving, drink driving, drug driving, causing serious injury by dangerous driving and possession of a class B drug.
He was taken to Great Yarmouth Police Investigation Centre for questioning and later charged with causing death by dangerous driving, two counts of causing serious injury by dangerous driving and possession of a class B drug, namely cannabis. He was remanded in custody.
Today, Peartree was sentenced to nine years in prison and disqualified from driving for 11 years.
References
- ^ Diss (www.dissexpress.co.uk)
- ^ His family released a tribute to him, calling the father-of-four ‘A man who embodied the essence of grace, love and resilience.’ (www.dissexpress.co.uk)