Drink driver caused three vehicle crash
PLEADS GUILTY TO COLLISION WHICH LEFT FOUR INJURED
ADRINK-DRIVER who caused a serious crash on a busy Gwynedd road that left four people injured will be sentenced by a crown court judge.
Robin Edfryn Jones, 49, from Brynrefail near Llanrug, caused the three-vehicle smash in which one of the victims suffered serious wounds.
At Caernarfon Magistrates’ Court, Jones admitted his guilt.
Bench chairman Peter Lunt Williams said the matters were so serious the court’s sentencing powers were insufficient and agreed all the charges should be dealt with in the crown court.
An application by defence solicitor Carfa Forfar for bail was rejected and Jones was remanded in custody.
He will appear at Caernarfon Crown Court on August 3.
The court issued an interim driving ban.
Diane Williams, prosecuting, said at 2.40pm on Sunday July 8, police received reports that Jones had left Bethesda by car and had been drinking.
Near the Beran Garage a police officer saw Jones’ black VW Golf and signalled for it to stop, but he failed to do so.
The court heard the officer was not authorised to pursue the vehicle, which drove off at speed, but alerted other officers to assist.
Ms Williams said: “He continued towards Brynrefail believing he would go to his home address and later came across a significant road traffic collision.
“Members of the public told the officer a black vehicle had collided with the rear of a Mazda, causing it to go into the opposite carriageway and collide with a Nissan.
“The Golf’s number plate was found at the scene and officers went to Jones’ address. He was arrested on suspicion of dangerous driving.”
Tests at the police station showed Jones had 112 microgrammes of alcohol in 100 millilitres of breath – the legal limit is 35.
The court heard both occupants of the Nissan were released by firefighters and taken on spinal boards to hospital.
The 78-year-old driver was later transferred to a specialist trauma unit for treatment.
His 75-year-old wife suffered minor injuries.
The two people in the Mazda vehicle were taken to hospital but suffered only minor injuries.
Jones pleaded guilty to charges of causing serious injury by dangerous driving, drink-driving and failing to stop after an accident.
He also admitted a drink-driving charge at the same location in May in which he had been released under investigation by police.
Referring to the incident in May, Ms Williams said that Jones had been seen buying alcohol at the Beran Garage late on May 28 and there were suspicions he had already been drinking.
Officers went to his home and he gave a positive breath test. However, Jones argued he had been drinking after arriving home.
A back calculation showed Jones had a level of 85 microgrammes of alcohol in a sample of breath.