Dangerous A64 driver broke his own back
A motorist who overtook a line of traffic and ploughed head-on into a van has been banned from the roads for 18 months.
Ashley Stillwell, 27, became frustrated after getting caught up in a traffic queue on the A64 at Knapton and overtook a couple of vehicles in his Peugeot sports car, heading straight for an oncoming van driven by Scarborough man Jamie Ashton.
The resulting head-on collision left Stillwell with a broken back, but “amazingly” Mr Ashton was unscathed, York Crown Court heard.
Stillwell, who suffered two fractured vertebrae and broke his hand in the collision, spent four days in hospital and was charged with dangerous driving.
He appeared for sentence at York Crown Court on Monday when he pleaded guilty to the charge and the case proceeded straight to sentence.
Prosecutor Rob Galley said that Stillwell, of Queensway, Leeds, tried to overtake a series of vehicle in the line of traffic after getting “impatient” because he was trying to getting to work on time.
Stillwell’s lawyer David Camidge said his client, who had led a hitherto blameless life, had not been speeding but had been overtaking illegally after crossing a solid white line in the road.
Judge Andrew Stubbs QC said it was “amazing” that van driver Mr Ashton didn’t suffer serious injuries in the collision on July 4 last year.
Stillwell was given an 18-month driving ban and ordered to carry out 240 hours’ unpaid work. Mr Stubbs made no financial penalty because Stillwell already had debts and the driving ban had effectively put paid to his hopes of finding a new job.