A MAN who decided to get behind the wheel of a car while under the influence of cocaine left a motorbike rider with ‘life-changing’ injuries following a crash in Wiltshire.
22-year-old Mitchell Gregory, of Bushell Road, Poole was driving a black Ford Fiesta on the A360 at Market Lavington on the evening of September 22.
While driving under the influence of cocaine, Gregory crossed solid white lines in the middle of the road and crashed head on with a green Kawasaki motorbike travelling in the opposite direction.
The crash left the motorbike rider, a man in his 20s, with ‘life-changing’ injuries, which police said has impacted his career prospects.
Gregory admitted to an officer at the scene that he lost control of the car while going round a corner. Subsequent blood tests revealed a “significant” amount of cocaine in his system.
He was charged with causing serious injury by dangerous driving and drug driving, to which he pleaded guilty.
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Gregory was jailed for 27 months at a hearing at Salisbury Crown Court on September 5.
He was also disqualified from driving for four years, after which he must pass an extended driving test.
Investigating officer PC Lucy Thompson, from Wiltshire Police’s serious collision investigation team, said Gregory’s actions are a “tragic example” of what driving under the influence can lead to.
“It impairs your judgement and decision making, reduces your attention and focus on the road and impacts on your coordination,” she said.
“On this occasion, Gregory – who had consumed a significant amount of cocaine – misjudged a bend, leading him to collide head on with the victim who was travelling on a motorbike in the opposite direction.
“The victim sadly suffered life-changing injuries in the collision which have severely impacted on his chosen career.
“Gregory has now been jailed, where I hope he reflects on the impact of his actions.”
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