A 78-year-old driver killed a woman and caused serious injuries to two others in a head-on crash after he accidently hit the accelerator instead of the brake. The mum was travelling with her husband and daughter and was declared dead at the scene.
Terry Ing, of Levitsfield Close, Rockfield, Monmouth, had been approaching the B4235 junction heading towards Usk on September 29, 2021 when he lost control of his silver Suzuki vitara. A sentencing at Cardiff Crown Court on Friday heard how the now 79-year-old's car "flew" across the carriageway on the A472 near Usk, at the junction with the A449. A witness described how Ing's car "narrowly" missed a vehicle recovery operation, before it collided head-on into the Green family's car and killed 73-year-old Francis Green.
Ing was also sentenced for causing serious injury by dangerous driving to Francis' husband John Green and their daughter Beverley Green. The court heard how the Green family from Norwich had been out for the day at Barry Island and were heading back to their holiday home in Monmouth when the crash happened. For the latest court stories sign up to our newsletter.
Read more: Man murdered his wife by strangling her then cutting her throat
Addressing Ing, Judge Lucy Crowther KC said: "The Green family and their dog Mia had been on holiday returning from a trip to Barry Island where Mr Green had been reminiscing about his childhood. You were approaching the B4235 where you would have been required to give way at the junction. There were no defects on the road and no damage to the surface. On the roadside there was a break down recovery surrounded by safety cones.
"As you approached the junction, there was a vehicle ahead of you waiting at the junction. You [overtook] and travelled on the wrong side of the road. You moved into the junction 'flying' out of the junction. You crossed two lanes of traffic coming to your right. You crossed the central reservation [very] close to the recovery vehicle. You didn't hit them, but you hit the protective cones around them. Witnesses saw at no point your brake lights come on. You drove head on into a car driven lawfully and carefully by Mr Green. Mr Green had no chance at all. There was nothing he could do. The impact was catastrophic."
The court heard how following the incident, Ing told police he believed he had his foot on the brake while the crash unfolded and therefore thought there must be a problem with his car. However, investigations found no faults with his car. The crown accepted that the incident happened as a result of Ing misplacing his foot on the acceleration pedal instead of his brake.
Prosecuting, Josh Scouller, said Mrs Green had been pulled out of the car onto the side of the road, following a smell of smoke. Despite the best efforts of members of the public and paramedics on scene, she died as a result of her injuries. Unaware of his wife's passing, the court heard how Mr Green became trapped in the driver area of the car and was later cut out by the fire service, before he and his daughter were taken to the University Hospital of Wales in Cardiff. Mr Green sustained serious injuries including a fractured hip, which saw him needing a full hip replacement. Ms Green also sustained injuries including a serious wrist fracture.
During the incident, the family's dog, Mia, escaped the car and ran across the dual carriageway. Although the dog was later found well, she is now traumatised by cars.
Reading out a victim impact statement from Ms Green, Mr Scouller said: "September 29 is a day I never want to revisit again. It represents the worst day in my life. It was a real-life horror story that will always be with me. It changed my life forever and nothing will ever be the same again... The crash not only affected my body, but also affected me psychologically. [I lost my] independence as a result of my injuries."
Mr Scouller told the court how Ms Green now has to rely on help to get dressed and go to the toilet which has been a "holy undignified and embarrassing" ordeal meaning she no longer has her "independence or dignity". Reading on her behalf, he continued: "That holiday was soon crushed and turned into a real living nightmare. I have a constant replay of it again and again. On that horrific day, not only did I have to witness mum dying, and see her being given CPR on the side of the road, I also had to witness my dad being crushed. He is not the man or dad he used to be... [My mum] has been ripped from my life and my heart... My mum was my world and the glue who held us together as a family."
Next , Mr Scouller read the victim impact statement of Mr Green. He told the court: "My loving wife of 53-years has been cruelly taken away from me in a few seconds... Noone had told me that my wife had died on the side of the road. The thought of the love of my life lying dead on the road I will never get over it. I think of ways I could have avoided the crash and I always come to the same conclusion: there was no way I could have - but I am still racked with guilt."
Mr Scouller continued, telling the court how Mr Green has lost independence as a result of his injuries and now requires help with day-to-day tasks. Due to injury to his left leg, he is no longer able to drive. He said the crown accepted that
Ian Bridge, for Ing passed on the defendant's apology to the Green family. He said: "The first and really important thing to say on behalf of [Ing] is how sorry he is for what he has done to the Green family. He will never be able to get out of his mind the misery he has caused - particularly to John and Beverly."
Mr Bridge told the court how Ing had no previous convictions and was a respected and advanced driver, who made the "mistake" of pressing the acceleration pedal instead of the brake. He described it as a "phenomenon that is not unusual". He said it often leads people to believe there is something wrong with their car. He asked judge Crowther to consider Ing's early guilty plea as well as the fact he will never drive again, meaning poses little threat to the public. He told judge Crowther that Ing was suffering with poor health and had recently suffered a heart attack. He said his family fears, if he is given an immediate prison sentence, that he will die in custody.
Concluding, judge Crowther said: "You are 79-years-old and you have never been in trouble before in your life. It is right to say not only have you never been in trouble, you have good character. I have read five character references. You have not sought to blame anyone else and you have not sought to justify what you did. You were an advanced motorist for many years...You have spent most of your life helping people less fortunate than yourself. You are part of the rotary club and raised money to help refugees in Ukraine."
Taking Ing's mitigating factors into account, judge Crowther sentenced Ing for two years in prison, suspended for two years for count one: causing death by dangerous driving. Four counts two and three - causing serious injury by dangerous driving - she sentenced him to 15 months each suspended for two years. She said each sentence will run at the same time. She offered her "deepest condolences" to the Green family.
READ NEXT:
- Man jailed for harassing drag queen months before his death
- Families of Gleision mine disaster victims ‘one step closer' to answers as coroner schedules full inquest hearing
- Photos show squalor and filth inside rat-infested restaurant
- 'Prolific' burglar snuck into Cardiff homes at night to feed crack cocaine habit
- Man strangled partner, punched her repeatedly, and trashed her house
