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Christmas day crash conviction


A DRIVER who caused a Christ- mas Day crash, leaving three peo- ple with life-threatening injuries, has been jailed for two and a half years. Jason Peachey (22) crashed his car


into an oncoming vehicle in Sutton Road, Maid- stone near the police head- quarters, on December 25 last year. His Vauxhall


Astra was on the wrong side of the road when it hit a


Peugeot 208 containing three peo- ple. Peachey, of Leesons Hill, Orping-


ton admitted three counts of caus- ing injury by dangerous driving and failing to stop at an accident. Peachey (pictured) was heading


towards Maidstone town centre shortly after 10pm on Christmas Daywhenhe tried to overtake a car, which was travelling at about 25mph. Witnesses reported seeing him


travelling well over the 30mph speed limit shortly before the acci- dent happened. As he crossed the white central


line to overtake, he lost control of the car and hit a gardenwall before hitting the oncoming Peugeot. The driver of the Peugeot, Christopher Walter (54), his wife


Debbie (46) and her mother Patricia Leach (67),whowere headinghome after Christmas celebrations with family in York Road,were all badly injured. MrWalter (54), who runs Head-


corn Gifts and Music, had a broken breastbone, fractured ribs and frac- tures to his heel and ankle. MrsWal- ter (46) had a fractured spine and shoulder, cuts and bruising. MrsWalter’s mother, 67-year-old


Pat Leach from Biddenden, had a life-threatening head injury, broken sternum, fractures to her spine, ribs and pelvis, a severed artery andwas in hospital for sevenweeks. Peachey was also injured in the collision but managed to flee the scene and throw away his car keys. He was discovered the following


day at Maidstone hospital, being treated for a fractured spine and sternum. Peacheywas jailed for two-and-a-


half years by Maidstone Crown Court and banned from driving for four years and three months. Investigating officer PC Guy Ditcher, from Kent Police’s Serious Collision Investigation Unit, said: “The impact of this crash, caused by Peachey’s reckless driving, was huge and it’s fortunate that there were no fatalities. “I would like to thank them for


their help in bringing this man to justice. The roads are safer withmen like this off them and Iwelcome the driving ban on top of his prison sen-


Wellywalk to help hospice PULL on your boots and join The Welly Walk, a family event in association with Maidstone Riverside Rotary to raise money for the Heart of Kent Hospice on Sunday, November 29. Walkers can explore the footpaths of the North DownsWay on a


three-, five- or six-mile circular route from the Kent Showground in Detling, where there will be refreshments and entertainment. Other features of the day include a treasure trail with a prize for


every child, a best-dressedwelly competition,welly-tossing and a hog roast. Tickets are £7 for adults and £3 for under 18s. Family tickets are available for £18 (two adults, two children) and £21 (two adults and three children). To book, call 01622 790 195.


Smart plan for motorway


A SECTION of the M20 between junctions 5 for Aylesford and 3 for Borough Green is to be converted into a smart motorway with the hard shoulder converted into an extra lane. Highways England has an- nounced the scheme which will create an additional 11 miles of mo- torway, improving traffic flow in both directions. The £100million project will in-


clude mandatory variable speed signs to manage congestion, the permanent removal of the hard


shoulder and the provision of emergency refuge areas. A stretch of the M25 between junctions 5 and 7 has already been converted into a smart motorway. The work, which could start in


2017 or early 2018 and is expected to be complete by 2019-20, is one of 14 major schemes planned for the South East. Highways England acknowl-


edged that the construction would bring some disruption in the short term, but this would be kept to a minimum to keep traffic flowing.


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