Man jailed for causing death of teenager in Crawley
Leonie Jones died after she was thrown from Mark Coleman's car during a sharp manoeuvre in a car park
A dangerous driver has been sentenced for causing the death of a young woman in a car park in Crawley.
Mark Coleman had attended the Dormans Park car park with friends and victim Leonie Jones.
Following a sharp manoeuvre by Coleman, 18-year-old Leonie was ejected from a red Vauxhall Corsa and became trapped under the car.
Expert reports showed that Coleman’s car had a defect passenger side door which was not properly secure.
Coleman, now aged 23, was also over the legal alcohol limit.
Leonie’s mum Carmel Richards said her daughter had died in “horrendous circumstances” and said her loss has been crippling.
“Leonie was caring, funny, and clever, a talented make-up artist, a great singer and dancer, a dedicated friend, and a strongly principled young woman who knew right from wrong,” Ms Richards said.
Detective Sergeant Ian Foxton said: “This case highlights the devastating impact of dangerous driving and of driving while over the legal alcohol limit.
"It should be a lesson to all young drivers.”
At Lewes Crown Court on September 12, Coleman, formerly of Forestfield, Crawley, admitted causing death by dangerous driving.
He was sentenced to six years in prison, and was disqualified from driving for seven years.
The court was told how the incident happened at about 2.40am on April 25, 2022, in the car park outside Dormans Youth Arts Centre in Crawley.
Tragically, Leonie was trapped under the vehicle and was pronounced deceased at the scene.
Forensic Collision Investigation reports showed markings in the car park which showed at the very least a sharp move by Coleman had been attempted.
His passenger side door required a large amount of force from outside for it to be secured, and was not easy to close and keep closed by passengers inside the car.
A report concluded: “It was Coleman’s action, along with the condition of his vehicle, that have led to the tragic death of Miss Leonie Jones.”
After being arrested, Coleman tested positive for 51 microgrammes (uhg) of alcohol per 100 millilitres (ml) of breath. The legal limit is 35uhg of alcohol per 100ml of breath.
He had been to the pub earlier in the night before driving.
In a victim impact statement, Ms Richards said: “Leonie is gone, and I am broken hearted. She was my precious little girl, our eldest child. The feeling of loss is so great, it is crippling.
“With this sorrow comes waves of panic at not being able to see her again.
“Leonie died in horrendous circumstances. I am tormented by the thought of what she endured.”
Ms Richards added that she can only hope that Coleman takes responsibility and learns the consequences of his actions.
Det Sgt Foxton, from the Serious Collision Investigation Unit, added: “This case demonstrates the devastating impact of Coleman’s actions.
“His vehicle was in a dangerous condition which was revealed when he attempted the sharp reverse turn in the car park, causing Leonie to be ejected from the vehicle and under the car.
“He was over the legal alcohol limit, so he should not have been behind the wheel in the first place.
“We know that drink driving is one of the main reasons why people are killed or seriously injured on our roads.
“Dangerous driving such as Coleman’s attempted turn and the insecure passenger door are also factors that can have devastating consequences.
“It should be a lesson to all drivers, especially young drivers, about the ‘fatal five’ driving behaviours and the risks these pose to themselves, their passengers and to other road users.
“We were determined to get justice for Leonie’s family, and we will continue to work to catch offenders to prevent these tragic collisions causing more heartache in future.”