Driver who caused a collision which left a man wheelchair bound jailed
A driver who was seen drinking from a bottle of Baileys after causing a collision in which a man suffered life-changing injuries has been jailed. Paul Jones, 34, of Alex Hughes Close, Snodland appeared before Maidstone Crown Court on Friday, 28 June 2019 charged with causing a serious injury by dangerous driving, failing to stop at the scene of a road accident and driving under the influence of drink and drugs. He was arrested on 9 September 2018 following a three vehicle collision at 12.45am on the A228 Snodland by-pass at the junction of Sortmill Road. The court heard how Jones was driving his Audi S4 with a passenger in the vehicle. He joined the A228 heading South, slightly ahead of a Peugeot 307 that was travelling in the same direction. Jones collided with a tanker lorry which was on the opposite carriageway travelling Northbound. The collision caused serious damage to the tanker and the driver lost control and collided head-on with the Peugeot. Jones left the scene on foot and returned a short while later drinking from a bottle of Baileys. He then failed a roadside breath test and drugs test before being arrested and taken to hospital. Analysis of his blood samples found him to be intoxicated with alcohol, a metabolite of cocaine, ecstasy and cannabis. The driver of the Peugeot suffered life-threatening injuries. Though he survived the collision his injuries were serious and he is confined to a wheel chair and requires 24-hour care. Jones was sentenced to three-years and banned from driving for four-and-a-half years. Should he ever wish to regain his licence, he will have to take an extended retest.
