Stafford man jailed after causing fatal crash under the influence
Stephen Smart was under the influence of nitrous oxide
A man from Cannock has been jailed for more than 14 years, and banned from driving for 15-years-and-eight-months, after causing a fatal crash whilst under the influence of nitrous oxide.
Stephen Smart, who's 34-years-old, pleaded guilty to causing death by dangerous driving and two counts of causing serious injury by dangerous driving.
The incident happened on Thursday 21st December 2023 on the A5 in Cannock. Smart was driving when he crashed into a Kia, which caused it to flip on its roof.
Helen Klich, who was 67, died at the scene of the crash, whilst her husband, Phillip Klich who was driving the Kia, suffered serious injuries including eight broken ribs and internal bleeding.
The passenger who was in the car with Smart also suffered serious injuries and was placed into an induced coma. He has since been discharged from hospital.
A Staffordshire police spokesperson said: "Smart was arrested and taken to hospital to be treated for his injuries. He denied being the driver of the car when he was questioned in custody.
"Collison investigators worked tirelessly to capture all of the available evidence, eventually putting Smart in the driver’s seat and securing the charges against him.
"The enquiry revealed that Smart had been inhaling nitrous oxide through balloons throughout the journey that evening."
Police Constable Jon Stant said: “Smart’s actions on this day have devastated the lives of so many people involved, forever. I’m happy that he’s now serving justice for what he did.
“Dangerous driving destroys lives and we’re determined to keep working proactively to make sure we stop people from causing harm to others on our roads in Staffordshire.”