A driver high on drugs caused a biker life-changing injuries in a Wiltshire crash.
Mitchell Gregory smashed head-on into a motorcyclist after losing control of his Ford Fiesta while negotiating a bend on the A360 in Market Lavington.
The 22-year-old crossed the solid central white lines on 24 September 2024, colliding head on with a green Kawasaki motorbike travelling in the opposite direction.
The rider of the motorbike, a man in his 20s, suffered life-changing injuries.
Gregory admitted to an officer at the scene of losing control of his vehicle while going round a corner, and subsequent blood tests revealed a significant amount of cocaine in his system.
The defendant, of Bushell Road, Poole, was charged with causing serious injury by dangerous driving and drug driving – to which he later pleaded guilty.
At a hearing at Salisbury Crown Court on 5 September this year, he was jailed for 27 months. He was also disqualified from driving for four years, after which he must pass an extended driving test.
Investigating officer PC Lucy Thompson, from the Serious Collision Investigation Team, said: “Gregory’s actions that day are a tragic example of why it is never okay to drive when you are under the influence of drugs.
“It impairs your judgement and decision making, reduces your attention and focus on the road and impacts on your coordination.
“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.”
