High on Weed and Unlicensed: Jordon White’s Deadly Overtake
Jordon White, 20, drove without a licence and high on cannabis when he risked fate on January 18. He crossed double white lines on a hill to overtake an Audi in his dodgy black Vauxhall Corsa near Tebworth, Bedfordshire.
The car, plastered with fake plates and failing an MOT, spun out on Toddington Road. It smashed into a hedge before reversing straight into a tree. The carnage was total.
Tragedy on the Road: Two Dead, Two Seriously Injured
- Ellie Ogden-Cooper, White’s ex-girlfriend, was flung from the wreck and died in a nearby field.
- Reece White, 23, found dead in the back seat, was Jordon’s brother.
- A 21-year-old front seat passenger and a 16-year-old in the back were seriously hurt.
White, from Wallis Drive, Leighton Buzzard" data-wpil-keyword-link="linked">Leighton Buzzard, pleaded guilty to two counts of causing death by dangerous driving and two counts of causing serious injury by dangerous driving. He was sentenced to six years behind bars at St Albans Crown Court.
Prosecutor Slams ‘Terrible’ and ‘Cowardly’ Driving
“This defendant was driving a car with four other people,” said prosecutor Stefan Weidmann. “He passed another car at high speed, crossing double white lines on a hill crest. It was terrible driving.”
“He was unlicensed, high on drugs, with no insurance or valid MOT. He fled the scene, leaving his friends and brother to suffer.”
The court heard White bought the unroadworthy Corsa for £400. The airbags failed to deploy in the crash. His front seat passenger had warned of his reckless driving to impress Ellie. They had been smoking cannabis all day. White only held a provisional licence and had no qualified supervisor in the car.
After the smash, White and two survivors fled. Police found him hiding in a shed nearly two hours later. Despite claiming he was a passenger and his brother was driving, a blood test showed White’s cannabis level was 2.6mg – well over the legal limit of 2mg.
Family Heartbreak and Justice Served
“We will never get over the loss of our beautiful Ellie,” said Ellie’s mother. “We’re shattered. All we have are our precious memories.”
“We are devastated by the loss of Reece,” said his family. “He left a mark on everyone he met and a void in the family that will never be filled.”
Judge Michael Kay QC condemned White’s actions:
“You were driving too fast and showing off, then fled the scene cowardly.”
“In a callous, despicable way, you tried to blame your own dead brother to save yourself.”
White was banned from driving for nine years and jailed for six. Meanwhile, two Good Samaritans who stopped to help Reece White will each receive £500 High Sheriff’s awards for their bravery.
