A pedestrian walking on a pavement was thrown down a street when he was hit by a speeding drug driver, new dashcam footage has shown.
Ben Critchley, 38, lost control of the car on Church Street, in Caversham, Reading at around 10.40am on Dec 6 last year when it mounted the pavement and hit the pedestrian. The video shows a bin on the street exploded on impact in the crash. Critchley is then seen running away from the scene.
Critchley, of Greenford, Ealing, has now been sentenced to two years and eight months in prison. He has been disqualified from driving for four years and must take an extended retest before getting behind the wheel again.
He was also ordered to pay a £228 surcharge.
The sentencing hearing at Reading Crown Court on Nov 29 comes after he pleaded guilty to driving a motor vehicle under the influence of cocaine, failing to give information relating to the identification of the driver and causing serious injury by dangerous driving on Sept 27.
Critchley lost control of his car opposite a Waitrose store, hitting vehicles and colliding with a male pedestrian, seriously injuring him.
Footage shows a pair of friends – one in a high vis jacket – walking along the pavement before Critchley’s car crashes. One of the men was thrown clear of the camera.
Critchley then came to a stop, got out of his vehicle and ran away from the scene, leaving the injured pedestrian lying in the road. Footage shows people watching as he runs up the road past witnesses trying to help.
Critchley was arrested the following day and was taken to hospital to be checked over and to have his blood taken for analysis.
He was then charged with drug driving and failing to give information relating to the identification of the driver on June 1.
He was also charged with causing serious injury by dangerous driving three months later.
The victim, a man in his thirties, suffered life-changing injuries, and is still receiving surgeries to try to help him walk again.
‘Truly shocking manoeuvre’
Det Sgt Tony Jenkins, part of the Serious Collision Investigation Unit at Thames Valley Police, said: “I’d like to thank the community and businesses for their assistance with this investigation.
“This has resulted in crucial evidence being obtained, including CCTV footage, which shows the truly shocking manoeuvre at a completely inappropriate speed.
“The injured party has a long road to recovery and I wish to praise his bravery and resilience.”
