Dangerous driver jailed for seriously injuring two people
Jason Taylor, 30, was sent to prison on Wednesday (March 5) after what Judge Nic Parry called an "astonishingly long period of dangerous driving". Footage played at Mold Crown Court captured the moment Taylor drove for around 20 seconds on the wrong side of the A483 between Llanbadarn Fynydd and Dolfor. He then collided head-on with a Suzuki Vitara containing brother and sister Donald, 69, and Caryl Rhead, 75.
Both had to be cut out and suffered life-changing injuries in the crash at about 6.30am on July 27, 2022. The court also heard Taylor was found to be over the drink drive limit - although he was "inexplicably" dealt with separately for that offence. Taylor admitted two charges of causing serious injury by dangerous driving[1] before magistrates in Welshpool in January.
Prosecutor Michael Whitty said Taylor, of Eleventh Avenue, Hightown, in Yorkshire, worked as a delivery driver and was driving a Mercedes Sprinter van that was "overloaded" with metal catering trays between Huddersfield and Swansea for a company called Non-Stop Transport. "His driving had previously drawn the attention of other road users, described as aggressive overtaking," he said. "Dash cam captured the somewhat surreal moment when he drove for some time and distance on the opposite side of the road, for apparently no reason."
Mr Whitty said Caryl Rhead had no recollection of the incident. An off-duty police officer helped cut Mr Rhead out of the vehicle.
Mr Rhead was airlifted to hospital in Stoke with breaks or fractures to his pelvis, sternum, seven ribs, his right humerus and a number of vertebrae. "He spent several weeks in various hospitals, including six weeks lying on his back," Mr Whitty added. "He likened the impact to a bulldozer crashing into scrap metal. "Caryl Rhead suffered multiple broken ribs, a fractured sternum, two fractured vertebrae and a fractured ankle."
Dafydd Roberts, representing Taylor, said his client had attended the hearing despite his partner being in labour, and that he had brought a bag with him as he was "here to face his fate". He added: "There were pressures on him to work extremely long hours. "He would often work from 2.30am to 5 or 6pm, driving long distances.
His relationship had recently broken down and he told his boss he didn't' want to work on this day. "The message back was that he was going to lose his job if he didn't. "He was drinking excessively at the time.
He had been out the night before and alcohol was clearly in his system still." 
You left two innocent people seriously injured and still suffering in pain. "All this arose out of utterly selfish behaviour. You put yourself first, knowing you were so tired that you were unfit to drive.
"It was an astonishingly long period of dangerous driving." He described the lower court's decision to sentence Taylor separately for drink driving as "frankly astonishing". He jailed Taylor for two years for each offence, but concurrently.
He must spend 10 months in prison before serving the rest of the sentence on licence.
A two-year driving ban will begin once he is released, after which he must take an extended re-test.
References
- ^ admitted two charges of causing serious injury by dangerous driving (www.countytimes.co.uk)
- ^ (Image: Newsquest) (www.countytimes.co.uk)