WATCH: Haywards Heath Man Jailed For Causing Serious Injuries While Drink And Drug Driving

A man from Haywards Heath has been handed a jail sentence for causing life-threatening injuries to his passenger as he drove drunk through Crawley at terrifying speeds.

David Headed been drinking wine and taking cocaine when he got behind the wheel of a Renault Megane on August 29, 2020.

He later crashed in Breezehurst Drive shortly before 9.40pm.

Head was seriously injured, and his two passengers were also seriously injured, one of whom was lucky to survive.

Inside the car, police were able to identify a dashcam which showed the vehicle driving at nearly 75mph in a 30mph zone, dangerous overtaking, driving through red lights, and the vehicle mounting the kerb.

PC Christina Lane, from the Sussex Roads Policing Unit (RPU), investigating, said:

“I examined the dashcam footage from the vehicle involved in this incident, and it was shocking.

“The driving was dangerous from the start of the journey until the crash, and included driving at grossly excessive speeds throughout.

“The expert witness we used from Road Safety Support who examined the footage calculated the journey included speeds of 74.5mph in a 30mph zone in the moments prior to the car losing control and crashing.

“There were several near misses with other vehicles and the vehicle is even shown to mount the pavement and central reservation on a dual carriageway.

“That mounting of the pavement early on in the journey should have been warning enough, but Head continued to drive, eventually crashing into a garden wall and leaving his front seat passenger with near fatal injuries.

“The risk to other members of the public on the roads was astounding, it’s a miracle there weren’t more victims of Heads recklessness.”

On arrest at the roadside, he told police he'd previously drunk a bottle and a half of wine before driving.

Tests also showed he had taken cocaine. His blood was tested and it revealed he had 159 milligrams (mg) of alcohol per 100 millilitres (ml) of blood. The legal limit is 80mg of alcohol per 100ml of blood.

He also tested positive for 176mg of cocaine per 100ml of blood. The legal limit is 50mg per 100ml.

Head, 42, of Colwell Road, Haywards Heath, previously admitted drink driving and drug driving at a hearing before Crawley Magistrates’ Court in relation to the same case on September 4 last year.

At the time he was sentenced to 180 hours of unpaid work, 25 rehabilitation activity requirement (RAR) sessions, £85 court costs and a £95 surcharge. He was disqualified from driving for 28 months.

Then last week, Head appeared before Lewes Crown Court on January 6 where he admitted causing seriously injury by dangerous driving.

The judge said the offence was so serious that only an immediate prison term could be justified.

Head was jailed for two years and seven months and his driving disqualification was extended to three years and three months to reflect the time he will serve in prison.

Speaking after the result, PC Lane said:

“Head put his own life, the lives of his passengers and the lives of everyone else at risk when he got behind the wheel of his car.

“RPU officers have been working hard during the winter campaign to crackdown on drink and drug drivers. They are one of the main causes of why people are killed or seriously injured on our roads.

“So this sentence demonstrates that those who consume alcohol and drugs and then get behind the wheel will face the consequences.

“We are determined to catch offenders and ensure are roads are safe for our communities.”

PC Lane said if passengers in a vehicle are worried or scared about drink or drug drivers they should ask the driver to stop or tell them they don’t feel comfortable in the vehicle.

The best advice is to try to remove yourself from the situation, or call the police from inside the car, as taking swift action can stop a serious collision from happening.

If anyone is concerned or has any information about someone they know drink or drug driving they can report them us by calling 101 or on the Sussex Police website.

Alternatively, call Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.