Transport and Logistics Network
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A drug-driver who killed another motorist in a head on collision in Bircotes has been jailed.
Alan Harwood was behind the wheel of a van when it crashed into a vehicle heading the other way.
He chose to overtake a lorry around 30 seconds earlier while approaching an uphill bend in Bawtry Road, Bircotes.
Harwood, who was under the influence of cocaine at the time, continued to speed up behind another vehicle ahead of him.
Alan Harwood has been jailed for ten years
He then left his lane to prepare to overtake again, but instead collided head on with Lucian Abbey, around 9.45am on March 9, 2023.
The 51-year-old father of three, who was travelling in the other direction in his van, was pronounced deceased at the roadside shortly afterwards.
Blood tests later showed that Harwood, who himself sustained multiple fractures in the crash, had traces of cocaine in his system at the time.
Harwood, of no fixed address, was charged with causing death by dangerous driving and drug-driving.
Lucian Abbey died at the scene of the crash
After pleading guilty to the charges, the 49-year-old appeared before Nottingham Crown Court to be sentenced on Monday, May 20.
Ahead of the sentencing, a statement written by Rachel Cleary, Lucian’s partner, was read out to the court.
She said: “Lucian was a funny, kind, sweet, sometimes obtrusive but lovely man, who had a knack of making you feel special. He was truly a unique soul.
“My heart breaks daily at the thought his children will never get another birthday or Christmas with him, and he will never get to do all the firsts a dad should do.”
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Graham Pace, Lucian’s cousin, added: “The impact of one man’s selfish, reckless and dangerous actions within minutes have killed my cousin and ruined the lives of my family and Lucian’s friends and partner.
“We cannot comprehend why or how he could feel it necessary to drive under the influence of drugs and do what he did. This action has caused the death of my cousin and to us is unforgivable.”
Sentencing Harwood to ten years in prison, Judge Michael Auty KC, said: “If it was in my gift to restore his life, I’d do it in a heartbeat, but I can’t.
“Nothing I can do will heal the misery and suffering of the family who mourn the passing of their loved one.
“It must have been obvious to you that you were completing a dangerous manoeuvre. The real tragedy of this case is that it was completely unnecessary.
“You cost three innocent children their father. You took one life but irreparably damaged more, due to your selfishness and irresponsibility.”
Following his prison sentence, Harwood will be banned from driving for a further five years and will then have to complete a retest.
Detective Constable Liah Lane, of Nottinghamshire Police’s Serious Collision Investigation Unit, said: “Harwood’s actions on the road that morning were careless in the extreme and ultimately cost another man his life.
“By not only deciding to get behind the wheel while having drugs in his system, but also to complete what was a dangerous manoeuvre in poor weather conditions, he put others at serious risk.
“Tragically, this proved to be the case, as after committing to a reckless overtake, he collided head on with Mr Abbey’s vehicle.”
COMMUTERS are facing rush hour chaos after a crash on a busy Scots road sparked huge delays this morning.
Emergency crews[1] raced to the scene on the A75 near Glenluce at around 6.45am today.
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The smash happened shortly before 7am this morningCredit: SUPPLIED
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Police have locked down the road in both directionsCredit: SUPPLIED
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A van and a tar-laying machine were involved in the crashCredit: SUPPLIED
The road has been locked down by cops in both directions after the serious collision.
The smash happened at the Glenluce bypass near the A747 junction in the village between Newton Stewart and Stranraer in Dumfries[2] and Galloway.
A Peugeot[3] van and a tar-laying machine were involved in the collision.
The driver of the van was injured and rushed to Galloway Community Hospital in an ambulance[4].
An eyewitness told the Scottish Sun that they spotted three ambulances, fire engines and an air ambulance heading to the scene this morning.
It happened while Amey crews were carrying out overnight resurfacing works at Glenluce.
The essential repair works on the A75 have been underway overnight since Monday, May 6, and are crews expected to finish on Sunday, June 2.
They said: “The van crashed into the tar machine in the coned-off area on the eastbound carriageway.
Police rush to Scots town centre and seal off busy street amid ongoing incident
“It’s a three-lane road and two lanes heading eastbound were closed off for roadworks and resurfacing when it happened.
“An air ambulance was on its way, but they managed to make the ten-mile trip to the hospital on the road in an ambulance”.
Traffic[6] Scotland has warned that traffic is really heavy in the area, creating huge delays.
Commuters have been urged to avoid the area.
Police[7] are currently at the scene of the crash and are conducting enquiries.
Drivers are being diverted along an alternative route.
A Police Scotland spokesperson said: “Around 6.45am on Tuesday, 21 May, 2024, police received a report of a two-vehicle crash on the A75 near Glenluce, involving a Peugeot van and a tar-laying machine.
“The driver of the Peugeot was taken to Galloway Community Hospital for treatment.
“The road remains closed as enquiries are carried out at the scene. Diversions are in place.”
A Scottish Fire and Rescue Service spokesperson said: “We were alerted at 6.51am on Tuesday, 21 May, to reports of a road traffic collision on the A75 near Glenluce, Dumfries and Galloway.
“Operations Control mobilised two appliances to the scene.
“One casualty was rescued prior to our arrival and was in the care of the Scottish Ambulance Service.”
A spokesperson for the Scottish Ambulance Service said: “We received a call at 0642 hours today to attend an incident on the A75.
“We dispatched two ambulances, our trauma tram and an air ambulance to the scene.”
Posting X, formerly known as Twitter[8] this morning, Traffic Scotland wrote: “NEW 08:11 #A75 Glenluce
“Please #UseAltRoute at this time.”
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Police have set up a diversion routeCredit: SUPPLIED
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The driver of the van was rushed to hospitalCredit: SUPPLIED
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An air ambulance was deployed to the scene but then circled back to the hospitalCredit: SUPPLIED
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One person has been taken to hospital after a crash involving a van and a tar-laying machine in southern Scotland.The accident happened on the A75 near Glenluce in Dumfries and Galloway at about 06:45.Police said the driver of the Peugeot van had been …
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Drivers are facing delays after a five-vehicle pile-up on the M20.
One lane had been closed due to the accident heading London-bound at Junction 5 in Aylesford, however all lanes have since reopened.[1]
Traffic building on the M20 heading London boun…