Reading Magistrates' Court: Cold Ash drink-driver involved in 'mystery' crash

Air bags deployed, vehicle written off - what happened?

A DRINK-driver was involved in an accident with another vehicle - apparently without realising it.

The first the defendant knew about it, Reading magistrates heard, was when his airbags deployed and he got out to find his own vehicle damaged so badly it was a write-off.

His solicitor told the court: "It's a bit of a mystery."

The accident happened on a winding, country road around 4.30pm.

In the dock on Thursday, December 3, was 73-year-old Alan Jones of Long Lane, Cold Ash.

Christine Lyons, prosecuting, said: “The defendant crashed into an oncoming vehicle. When officers arrived he admitted he had been drinking but maintained the accident was the fault of the other driver who, he says, crashed into him.”

But his solicitor said in court he had no clear recollection of the incident.

And, when asked by magistrates for more information about the accident, Ms Lyons said police had not provided her with any details about injuries or other passengers who might have been put at risk.

Mr Jones admitted driving a grey Audi A5 on Everington Lane, Yattendon, on Friday, October 16, after drinking more than the legal limit.

Tests showed 53mcg of alcohol per 100ml of breath in his system.

The legal limit is 35mcg.

Mike Davis, defending, pointed out that his client had no previous convictions and, despite an occasional speeding fine, had an otherwise exemplary driving record spanning several decades.

He said: “It’s a bit of a mystery; clearly there was a collision but there’s nothing in the (prosecution) papers about the other vehicle, its driver or any passengers.”

Mr Davis said Mr Jones had taken a seriously ill friend shopping before dropping him off at 4.30pm and accepting two glasses of wine in his home.

He added: “He didn’t feel adversely affected and drove home on a winding, undulating country road. He felt something was wrong with the steering and, the next thing he knew, his airbags had gone off. The car was a write off. The insurance assessor thinks he may have had a puncture just before the collision.”

Mr Jones was fined £150 and ordered to pay £85 costs with a statutory victim services surcharge of £34.

In addition he was banned from driving for 14 months.