Witham: Driver sentenced after high-speed crash left victim in coma

“This needs to act as a lesson to drivers about the consequences of speeding – this collision could easily have been fatal."

That’s from one of our specialist roads policing officers after a man was sentenced for causing a collision which left another man in a coma.

Conner Phillips, 22, admitted causing serious injury by dangerous driving and dangerous driving at Chelmsford Magistrates’ Court in April following a collision in Albert Road, Witham at around 10.50pm on 17 August last year.

The investigation by our officers established Phillips had been driving a red Ford Fiesta dangerously through the town centre.

This included overtaking another vehicle on the wrong side of the road and at speed down Newlands Drive, continuing on the wrong side of the road and through ‘no entry’ signs into Collingwood Road.

As he went over the railway bridge, he struck a man crossing the pedestrian crossing at Chipping Hill.

The light was showing a red signal for cars at the pedestrian crossing and a witness saw him drive through it.

Analysis carried out by our officers established Phillips had been driving at speeds of up to 61mph on roads where the limit is 30mph, and at the time of the collision was travelling at 53mph.

The victim, a man in his 20s, sustained several significant injuries including serious head injuries, and fractures to his pelvis, shoulder, collarbone, arm, and finger.

He had to undergo several operations and was in hospital for a total of 115 days.

He spent two weeks in a coma and when he woke, was unable to eat, talk, or walk, and continues to receive intensive physical and mental rehabilitation.

Phillips had initially tried to deny he had been driving on the wrong side of the road and had overtaken anyone on the wrong side of the road, however our officers were able to present him with video evidence of him doing so.

At Chelmsford Crown Court earlier this month, Phillips, of Mann Close, Witham was sentenced to two years' imprisonment.

He was banned from driving for three years and must pass an extended re-test before holding a licence again.

Adam Pipe, from our Roads Policing Unit, said:

“I want to pay tribute to the determination and resilience of the victim and his family as he tries to recover from this horrific incident.
“The injuries he has sustained are significant and the reality is this could very easily have been a fatal collision.
“Conner Phillips made a decision on the night of the 17th of August last year. He made a decision to speed, to drive recklessly, and put the safety of other people at risk.
“He was selfish and he was dangerous. He made a conscious choice to drive twice the speed limit, to overtake another vehicle on the wrong side of the road, and to ignore no entry signs.
“His selfishness means the victim in this case now faces a future of extensive rehabilitation and a life that looks very different to how it did a year ago.
“This needs to act as a lesson to other drivers about the consequences of speeding and the importance of driving responsibly.
“The fact that Conner Phillips is off the road for the foreseeable future means our roads are much safer.
“I also want to thank all the witnesses who stopped at the scene of the collision and provided information to us as part of our investigation. You are upstanding members of the community and your evidence has help us secure Phillips’ conviction.”

Help us reduce road collisions and casualties in Essex and make our roads even safer. Report instances of poor and dangerous driving through Safer Essex Roads Partnership's Extra Eyes initiative.

More than ever, irresponsible, dangerous and illegal road behaviour is being recorded by road users. Through Extra Eyes this footage can be sent to, and reviewed by, an investigator within Road Policing at Essex Police.

Find out how by visiting Safer Essex Roads Partnership website.