Derbyshire drivers jailed for serious crashes – which in some cases have killed motorists or pedestrians

Pictured here are drivers jailed for crashes – causing serious accidents and in most cases killing other motorists or pedestrians.

Published 5th Jul 2023, 13:55 GMT

Updated 5th Jul 2023, 13:56 GMT

Many of the defendants were under the influence of drink or drugs at the time.

Though some were driving aggressively at recklessly high speeds, others were under the influence of alcohol or drugs – with tragic results.

In one awful case a Chesterfield woman ran her partner over in a terrible accident while drunk, after they had argued.

Drivers who have been jailed for serious crashes

1. Derbyshire drivers

Drivers who have been jailed for serious crashes Photo: Derbyshire Police

Tait, 44, was jailed for six years after killing a Chesterfield man by hitting the car he was travelling in “head-on”.
The defendant fled the scene but was arrested two days after the crash, which occured on the B6012 near Chatsworth and which killed 93-year-old Jonathan Weeks and left his daughter with serious injuries.
Derby Crown Court heard Tait denied he was the driver and “named” another person as responsible, lying to a jury that a sheep ran into the road and caused him to swerve.

2. Neil Tait

Tait, 44, was jailed for six years after killing a Chesterfield man by hitting the car he was travelling in “head-on”. The defendant fled the scene but was arrested two days after the crash, which occured on the B6012 near Chatsworth and which killed 93-year-old Jonathan Weeks and left his daughter with serious injuries. Derby Crown Court heard Tait denied he was the driver and “named” another person as responsible, lying to a jury that a sheep ran into the road and caused him to swerve. Photo: Derbyshire Police

Sawyers was jailed for 32 months after he sped around a sharp country bend near Ault Hucknall, hitting Peter East, 58.
Peter died of multiple injuries three weeks later - four friends he was riding with survived with cuts and bruises.
When police arrived at the scene they noted a “strong smell” of cannabis while tobacco and a small amount of cannabis was seen inside.
Jailing ground worker Sawyers, Judge Shaun Smith KC noted that he came from a “supportive, loving and law-abiding family” and that he had referred to Peter and his family since the crash as “my victims”.

3. Levi Sawyers

Sawyers was jailed for 32 months after he sped around a sharp country bend near Ault Hucknall, hitting Peter East, 58. Peter died of multiple injuries three weeks later - four friends he was riding with survived with cuts and bruises. When police arrived at the scene they noted a “strong smell” of cannabis while tobacco and a small amount of cannabis was seen inside. Jailing ground worker Sawyers, Judge Shaun Smith KC noted that he came from a “supportive, loving and law-abiding family” and that he had referred to Peter and his family since the crash as “my victims”. Photo: Derbyshire Police

Young, 25, was jailed for eight years after killing two friends overtaking on a blind bend at 90mph.
He hit Margaret Collier, 59, and Caroline Ball, 63, so hard that the Vauxhall Corsa they were travelling in was shunted back 30 metres into hedge.
Both women, travelling to work together at the time, died at the scene on the A6135 in Renishaw.
Derby Crown Court heard Young was captured on a camera approaching the village in the minutes leading up to the crash driving at between 115mph and 141mph.

4. Daniel Young

Young, 25, was jailed for eight years after killing two friends overtaking on a blind bend at 90mph. He hit Margaret Collier, 59, and Caroline Ball, 63, so hard that the Vauxhall Corsa they were travelling in was shunted back 30 metres into hedge. Both women, travelling to work together at the time, died at the scene on the A6135 in Renishaw. Derby Crown Court heard Young was captured on a camera approaching the village in the minutes leading up to the crash driving at between 115mph and 141mph. Photo: Derbyshire Police