On the night of September 30, 2023, 17-year-old Benjamin Worrall was killed and his friend Nathan Fountain seriously injured when a Range Rover collided with their motorcycles near Rowton Castle in Shropshire.
The driver of the Range Rover, Danny Francis, fled the scene but was later arrested at his partner’s home on suspicion of causing death by dangerous driving.
The collision occurred as Francis was driving home to Welshpool along the A458 following a drinking binge. At around 12.03am, he lost control of the vehicle while attempting to avoid a large puddle, swerved onto the other carriageway and collided head-on with the two motorcycles.
CCTV footage and other evidence revealed that Francis had consumed 11 pints of cider and some spirits prior to the incident. He had begun drinking with friends at around 4 pm and had visited at least 9 pubs. As 7 hours had passed between the accident and the arrest, a forensic toxicologist was brought in to estimate Francis’ alcohol levels at the time of the crash. It was determined that he would have consumed between 53 micrograms and 111 micrograms of alcohol per 100 millilitres of breath – well over the legal limit of 35 micrograms.
Francis pleaded guilty to causing death by dangerous driving and driving while under the influence of alcohol. He was sentenced to 7 years imprisonment on Friday, November 28 at Shrewsbury Crown Court.
If you are being investigated for drink driving or dangerous driving, solicitors at Auriga Advocates can help. We have the experience and expertise to support you as your case progresses, so please contact us as soon as possible.