A DANGEROUS driver was told he was lucky he didn’t kill anyone after he flipped over another car which landed on its roof.
Gareth Wollan, from Newport, was jailed for causing the crash on the M48 between Chepstow and the M4 interchange near Magor in the early hours of the morning.
Prosecutor Nik Strobl spoke of how the defendant’s Vauxhall Astra hit a Kia Picanto at around 70mph with his mirror while undertaking it, causing the car to overturn.
A 24-year-old Cwmbran woman, who was a passenger in the Kia, was rushed to hospital for treatment.
MORE NEWS: Flashy ‘greedy’ drug dealer jailed after being caught with designer clothes
Mr Strobl told Cardiff Crown Court: “The defendant’s driving was aggressive. He was flashing his lights and kept them on full beam.
“The driver of the Picanto lost control of his vehicle and it flipped over and ended up on the roof.
“Fortunately, no one was seriously injured.”
The driver survived unscathed and the passenger was taken to Cardiff’s University Hospital of Wales where she was treated for minor injuries.
Judge DJ Hale told Mr Stobl: “They were both extremely lucky.”
Wollan did not stop after causing the collision and the court heard his partner, who was a passenger in the Astra, contacted the police.
He told the officers who came to arrest him: “I’ve been silly. I should have stopped.”
Wollan, 29, of White Ash Glade, Caerleon, Newport, pleaded guilty to dangerous driving and failing to stop after an accident.
The offences were committed on September 22, 2020.
Mr Strobl said Wollan had previous convictions for drug driving and possession of cannabis.
Scott Bowen, representing the defendant, said: “It was a misjudged manoeuvre.
“He wants to pass on his apology to the two victims.
“The defendant was almost in a state of shock.”
Mr Bowen added: “He is a family man with a 10-month-old daughter and he’s employed.
“He’s deeply ashamed of his actions.”
Judge Hale told the defendant: “You were coming home with your girlfriend, the mother of your child, in a car.
“It was fortunate there were no serious injuries or even death.
“We could be talking about years in prison not months.
“Driving a car is a privilege and the roads are dangerous places and you made them more dangerous by undertaking.
“I’ve struggled with the question of suspending your sentence but your behaviour that day was so dangerous it has to be an immediate prison sentence.
“You will have to learn a hard lesson. You’ve got to behave properly when you drive a car.”
Wollan was jailed for six months.
The defendant was banned from driving for 18 months and ordered to sit an extended retest.
He must also pay a victim surcharge.
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules hereLast Updated:
Report this comment Cancel