Drivers are jailed over fatal car crash
Pair were racing on A24 ‘at grossly excessive speed’
A Burgess Hill man has been jailed after he and another driver used the A24 ‘like a race track’ in an incident which claimed the life of a young man.
Police say they were called to the crash near Horsham, at around 1.25pm on December 6, 2020, after a Lexus GS300 lost control and crashed into trees.
The impact claimed the life of 24-year-old Callum Chapman, a car enthusiast from Southwater.
Police say that Callum and a friend had travelled to Buck Barn services earlier that day, where they had arranged to meet two other car owners, and do some filming for their respective social media accounts.
Callum agreed to be the sole passenger in the Lexus, while his friend agreed to be the passenger in a Toyota Supra driven by Michael Yazgic, 29, of Packham Way, Burgess Hill.
The two vehicles left the services in convoy and drove northbound on the A24. They were described by witnesses
as racing each other far in excess of the 70mph speed limit.
Mobile phone footage captured by Callum during the journey was analysed, and revealed the Lexus was travelling between 87mph and 104mph when it lost control and crashed just before the Hop Oast Roundabout, say police.
Meanwhile the Toyota driver, who was leading the convoy, realised the Lexus was no longer behind him, turned around and returned to the crash scene.
He was identified by police as Michael Yazgic, of Burgess Hill. He was arrested and charged with dangerous driving.
The Lexus driver was identified as Curtis Gaare Michael, 37, of Westfield Rise, Saltdean. He was taken to hospital with serious injuries, and later arrested and charged with causing death by dangerous driving.
Both pleaded guilty and appeared before Lewes Crown Court on Thursday, February 3, for sentencing.
Gaare Michael was sentenced to three years’ imprisonment, and banned from driving for four years and six months.
Yazgic was sentenced to six months in prison and disqualified from driving for 21 months.
Police say that both will be subject to an extended re-test should they reapply for their licence.
Passing sentencing, Her Honour Judge Laing QC said the two had ‘used the A24 as a race track to show off ’.
She added: “You were prepared to create a substantial risk to other road users by driving at grossly excessive speeds.”
Investigating Officer
Lauren Upton said: “Tragically, Callum Chapman had been recording footage on his mobile phone from inside the Lexus.
“This captured the moments leading to the collision and the collision itself, as well as the dangerous driving by Gaare Michael and Yazgic. The shocking footage showed both defendants driving at a grossly excessive speed on a busy dual carriageway on a Sunday afternoon with many other road users around, all of whom were driving at a sensible speed.
“Their actions of choosing to ‘show off’ their high performance cars resulted in devastating consequences for Callum’s family and friends.”
Callum’s mother Jillie Slope said: “The ripple effect from his loss is far reaching and devastating.
“I would urge all drivers to think before putting their foot down on the accelerator.”