HGV driver jailed for seriously injuring family on M42 in Warwickshire
A man from Ipswich has also been banned from driving for 7 years.
A man's been sentenced to 30 months in prison following a serious collision on the M42 in Warwickshire.
53-year-old Dominic Nicholls from Inkerman Terrace, Hadleigh, Ipswich has been charged with dangerous driving causing serious injury to three members of the same family, including an 8 year old child, when the HGV he was driving crashed into the rear of the family's Nissan X-Trail that was stationery on the hard-shoulder after breaking down on the M42 northbound in Warwickshire in April 2022.
He was disqualified from holding or obtaining a driving licence for 7 years and will have to pass an extended driving test to drive again.
He was also ordered to pay £190 Victim Surcharge during his sentencing at Warwick Crown Court on 19th October 2023.
The collision on the M42 northbound between junctions 8-9 near Kingsbury in Warwickshire occurred at 11.56pm on the night of Thursday 28th April 2022.
The family were travelling to their home in Stafford from Heathrow Airport after returning from a family holiday in Sri Lanka. A warning light had appeared on the dashboard and so, the family pulled over on to the hard shoulder to investigate the issue. In the vehicle was a family of 4 including the 8-year-old daughter (rear offside passenger) and 5-year-old son (rear nearside passenger).
Dominic Nicholls was travelling about a minute behind in the same direction in his 40 tonne HGV and for reasons unknown, the lorry drifted onto the hard shoulder at 55mph and collided with the rear of the X-Trail before the family had time to exit the vehicle.
All five occupants of the X-Trail were injured - most seriously the 8-year-old daughter.
She suffered serious, life-changing injuries - but survived the collision. As a result, the girl, now 10 years old, will need a carer for the rest of her life.
Police say she will be unable to think, walk or talk again and will have to use a wheelchair.
Her mother and father were also seriously injured and their five-year-old son suffered minor injuries in the collision.