Driver jailed after killing his best friend in smash on M4
A DRIVER ploughed a hired 4x4 into the back of an articulated lorry on the M4, killing his best friend.
Jason Ryan, who had been smoking cannabis, was driving dad-to-be Lee Sullivan and another friend back from a festival when the tragedy happened, a court heard.
The 32-year-old was at the wheel of a Nissan Qashqai – which had its speedometer frozen at 110mph after the crash – when it smashed into the back of an Iceland lorry as the three friends returned to Cardiff.
The impact of the crash was so powerful it knocked the HGV’s hydraulic tail off and caused the lorry to increase its speed by more than 2mph.
The damage to the car was so severe that, after seeing pictures of it, a judge said: “The fact that anyone left that incredible.”
Now Ryan, who was almost twice the limit for cannabis and had an “appalling” record for motoring convictions, is starting a jail sentence.
Chris Smyth, prosecuting, told Swindon Crown Court on Friday that the supermarket lorry was heading west on the M4 near Littleton Drew, Wiltshire, at about 5am on Saturday, September 30, 2017.
The semi-laden vehicle, limited to 54mph, was on a long straight section of road in good weather conditions with its lights on when it was struck from behind.
As a result of the impact he said the vehicle’s tachograph showed its speed had momentarily been increased from 54mph to 56.5mph.
He said the tail lift came off and was found 100m away, and the Nissan went so far under the trailer it caused car alive is almost damage to the rear off side tyre and brakes.
As a result of the smash expectant father Mr Sullivan, who was sitting in the front seat, was killed while the rear seat passenger, who was asleep at the time, suffered a broken back.
Mr Smyth said a specimen of blood showed Ryan had 3.7mg of THC – the main psychoactive ingredient in cannabis – per litre of blood compared to a legal limit of 2mg.
Ryan, of Ruskin Close, Llanrumney, Cardiff, pleaded guilty to death by careless driving through drink or drugs.
The court heard among his 78 previous convictions were four for dangerous driving as well as aggravated taking of a vehicle without consent and eight offences of driving while disqualified.
Christopher Rees, mitigating, said his client was like a brother to the victim and together.
He said as a result of the fatal crash Ryan had suffered post-traumatic stress disorder and had made an attempt on his own life.
Mr Rees said he realised he faced a lengthy jail term for the irreparable damage he had caused to his friend’s family.
The three men in the car had been to a festival and planned to go back in the early hours and Mr Rees said his client had not smoked cannabis for 12 hours but it stays in the system for a long time.
He said Ryan, who had passed an extended driving test following his earlier convictions, had been distracted trying to adjust the headlights.
Jailing him for five and a half years Judge Robert Pawson said: “You were driving far too fast. You were intoxicated. You didn’t see a lorry on a dry their children still play night on a straight road.
“Given the high speed you must have been travelling at while avoidably distracted, not to mention the influence of the cannabis, that driving falls not far short of dangerous driving.
“It was a straight piece of road. You must have been distracted for some time to not see that lorry. It was not a momentary lapse of concentration.
“The fact that anyone left that car alive is almost incredible.”
As well as jailing him he also banned him from the road for seven years and nine months.
In the aftermath of the crash 26-year-old Mr Sullivan’s fiancee paid tribute to the “love of her life” who was killed shortly before their child was due.
Friends of Mr Sullivan, who was already dad to a son, also set up a huge memorial to him in Burnham Avenue in Llanrumney.