Man who admitted causing fatal Bere Regis crash avoids jail
51 year old Michael Stewart from Poole has been sentenced
A Poole man has been handed a suspended prison sentence, after admitting causing a fatal road traffic collision in Bere Regis.
51 year old Michael Stewart from Millfield appeared at Bournemouth Crown Court yesterday (Friday 4th October).
He'd previous pleaded guilty to causing death by careless or inconsiderate driving and causing serious injury by careless or inconsiderate driving.
He had been found not guilty at trial of causing death by dangerous driving and causing serious injury by dangerous driving.
Stewart has been given a 38-week prison sentence, suspended for 18 months, and ordered to carry out 250 hours of unpaid work in the community.
He was also disqualified from driving for two years.
What happened?
Police were called to a collision at Rye Hill, involving a Mazda MX5, a Ford C Max, a Honda Civic, a Vauxhall Corsa and a Suzuki Ignis, in September 2022.
The passenger of the Suzuki – a 62-year-old woman from the Weymouth area – died at the scene.
The driver of that vehicle, a woman aged in her 30s from Weymouth, also sustained life-changing injuries as a result of the collision.
The Honda, Vauxhall, Ford and Mazda had all been travelling toward Bere Regis from the Wool direction when the Honda, which was in front, stopped to turn right into Warren Road.
The Vauxhall and Ford stopped behind it but the Mazda, being driven by Stewart, failed to stop and struck the Ford.
The Mazda then went into the opposite carriageway and collided with the oncoming Suzuki.
PC Leanne Howes, of the Serious Collision Investigation Team, said:
“This collision demonstrates to all drivers the tragic consequences that can occur when a motorist fails to demonstrate due care and consideration, from a lapse of concentration.
“Our thoughts are very much with the family of the woman who sadly died as a result of this collision, as well as the woman who sustained life-changing injuries as a result.
“We have carried out a detailed investigation to establish the full circumstances of what happened so that the judicial process could be followed.”