Danger-driver killed dad in drug-fuelled chase crash
GASPS were heard in court as footage was played of a fatal head-on collision which resulted in the death of a young father. The driver had been out all night drinking alcohol and taking drugs when he became involved in a police chase, during which the crash occurred.
Steven Rowe, 26, of Merthyr Tydfil, caused the death of Robbie-Lee Selway, 21, who was the front-seat passenger of a stolen Ford Fiesta which collided with a white Renault Clio at 11am on May 13 last year between the Hirwaun and Llwydcoed junctions of the A465 Heads of the Valleys Road. Rowe had driven into incoming traffic after the number of lanes in the road reduced due to roadworks, in a bid to get away from pursuing police.
Mr Selway suffered catastrophic injuries after being thrown through the windscreen of the car and was declared dead at the scene.
Serious injury was also caused to the driver of the Clio, who was 12 weeks pregnant at the time of the collision.
A sentencing hearing at Newport Crown Court yesterday heard Rowe, Mr Selway, Kai Davies and Aaron Collins had been “partying” through the night of May 12 and morning of May 13, with alcohol and various drugs taken by the defendant.
CCTV showed them travelling in the stolen Ford Fiesta Turbo between Merthyr Tydfil town centre, Garden City, Dowlais and the Gurnos estate.
Rowe was clearly intoxicated and at 8.50am the police were called to reports of the car being driven erratically.
Footage played to the court by prosecutor Rachel Knight showed Rowe getting into the driver’s seat of the car and was stumbling as he changed places with Mr Selway.
The car was described by a witness as driving at speeds of 80mph in a 30mph zone.
At 9.40am an officer saw the vehicle driving at high speeds and pursued the Fiesta, but was unable to keep up.
The car then stopped in Asda and Mr Selway re-fuelled before they drove off without paying.
At 10.55am, Pc Rebecca Bailey saw the car in Aberdare driving along the A4059, and switched on her blue lights in an attempt to get Rowe to pull over, but he carried on at speed and narrowly missed a collision with a heavygoods vehicle.
Pc Bailey drove at 100mph but couldn’t keep up with the car.
Rowe didn’t slow down and drove into oncoming traffic before colliding head-on with a car driven by Kelly Weston, who had no time to react.
The defendant was taken to hospital and a blood sample was taken. His blood was analysed and he was found to have 141mg of alcohol per 100ml of blood, nearly twice the legal limit.
He was also found to have a metabolite of cocaine at 188mg, more than three times the limit, and 40mg of ketamine, twice the legal limit. He also had cocaine and diazepam in his blood at legal levels.
Rowe was recalled to prison as he was still on licence for a previous offence.
The defendant, of HMP Parc, later pleaded guilty to causing death by dangerous driving and three counts of causing serious injury by dangerous driving.
He was disqualified from driving at the time of the offence and has never owned a driving licence.
Judge Tracey Lloyd-Clarke sentenced Rowe to eight years’ imprisonment and he will serve an extra three on licence. He will be considered for parole after serving twothirds of his sentence. He was disqualified from driving for 13 years.