Five years for death by dangerous driving

17 September 2010, 06:40 | Updated: 17 September 2010, 07:40

A driver who caused the death of an 18 year old while overtaking three cars at high speed in the Thames Valley has been jailed for five years.

Sammy Edwards, from Lake House, Marsh, near Aylesbury, (right) was found guilty at Reading Crown Court of causing the death of 18-year-old Greg Stiles in May 2009.

At about 2.40pm on Sunday 17 May, Greg Stiles and his girlfriend Abigail Dowdy were travelling in a blue Ford Fiesta on the A4129, Risborough Road, from Kingsey to Longwick.

Edwards was driving a blue BMW X5 and dangerously overtook three cars at high speed, forcing Greg Stiles to take avoiding action resulting in him swerving into another vehicle.

He was pronounced dead at the scene and Abigail was taken to the John Radcliffe Hospital with serious injuries, which she recovered from.

Edwards did not stop at the scene of the collision. After a lot of witness appeals and a police investigation, Edwards was arrested twelve days after the crash, before being charged in February 2010.

PC Phil Hanham, Senior Investigating Officer, said:

“Edwards’s vehicle made no contact in the collision and failed to stop at the scene, therefore officers had no physical evidence to tie Edwards or his vehicle to the collision. The investigation team relied on good investigation techniques using CCTV from various locations in Buckinghamshire, ANPR and mobile phone data downloads  to prove Edwards was at the scene and  caused the collision in which Greg died.

“Edwards has never taken responsibility for his actions and changed his story in interview three times in an attempt to evade justice. I am pleased he has been sent to prison for causing the death on an 18-year-old man with his whole life ahead of him, and seriously injuring another person. I hope he has time to reflect on the pain and devastation he has caused Greg’s family and friends.”