Road safety campaigner’s drink-drive shame after crashing into family’s car
A FORMER Tory councillor who campaigned on road safety ploughed into a family’s car while nearly twice the drink-drive limit.
David Buckley, 69, was driving on the wrong side of the road when he smashed into Dianne and Lee Oliver and their two young children in a ‘head-on’ collision, a court heard.
Mr Oliver and his wife were rushed to hospital after the crash. He believes former Tameside councillor Buckley should have got a tougher sentence, after he escaped with just a fine.
The drama unfolded at around 9pm on Sunday, July 9, Kerry Evans, prosecuting said.
Mrs Oliver was driving along Huddersfield Road in Mossley when she could see a car coming towards them on the wrong side of the road.
She slowed down to the point she was stationary, also sounding her horn, but the black Seat Sport being driven by Buckley continued and ploughed into them. The airbags deployed and all four were able to scramble to safety as paramedics attended.
Mrs Oliver suffered facial injuries including black eyes and a suspected broken nose as well as a dislocated finger, on which she has required an operation. Mr Oliver suffered a broken wrist.
The children, aged six and four, were asleep at the time and escaped with cuts and grazes from their seatbelts.
Buckley was ‘barely able to stand’ after getting out of the car, Warrington magistrates court was told.
Police attended the scene near Mossley Hollins High School and officers could smell alcohol on him so arrested him. At the police station he gave a reading of 69mg of alcohol in 100ml of breath, almost twice the limit of 35.
Buckley, who has Parkinson’s disease, says he can remember nothing about what happened.
Gina Clayton, defending, said he had recently started taking new medication for his condition and he believes he may have suffered a reaction with the alcohol.
She added: “He is very remorseful. He has taken these proceedings very seriously. He is not someone who has an addiction or other issues associated with alcohol.”
Buckley, of Fold Crescent, Stalybridge, pleaded guilty to drink-driving and driving without due care and attention at the hearing.
He was banned from driving for two years and ordered to pay a total of £725 in fines and costs.