A BMW driver travelling at almost double the speed limit in poor weather lost control of his vehicle before aquaplaning into a layby and killing a man. Ricky Perkins, 32, was driving eastbound along the A4063 Aberkenfig bypass at 89mph when his car struck 49-year-old Byron Jeanes. A sentencing hearing at Newport Crown Court on Monday was told the crash happened at 5.45am on January 20, 2021 in a 50mph zone near a busy motorway junction.
Matthew Cobbe, prosecuting, said: “[Byron Jeanes] died as a result of a collision caused by the defendant dangerously driving. Mr Jeanes had been a pedestrian waiting for his friend in a lay-by. The defendant lost control of his vehicle driving far too quickly for the conditions.â€
Mr Cobbe read out a witness statement from Craig Townsend who had been travelling in the same direction as Perkins around the time of the crash. Mr Townsend described how he noticed heavy surface water on the left hand side of the carriageway, so made the decision to move over into the right-hand lane to avoid it. Although there was only “drizzle†at the time, there had been heavy rain during the night which contributed to the surface water. Mr Townsend – who was travelling at the speed limit – said he noticed Perkins’ car catch up to his before Perkins undercut him by driving into the left-hand lane. Mr Townsend also noted Perkins’ excessive speed.
Although it was heard that the act of undercutting did not directly cause the crash, Mr Cobbe said Perkins collided with Mr Jeanes shortly afterwards when he lost control of his car. “The rear of the defendant’s car veered to the right before [it lost control] and veered to the left meeting the verge and layby. It collided with a metal lamppost and Mr Jeanes,†he said.
Perkins stopped at the scene and was heard saying: “I’ve just killed someone. I’m going to lose my jobâ€, while he appeared to be in a “state of shockâ€. Investigations revealed that the two most likely factors that contributed to the crash included “travelling too fast for the conditions†and “surface waterâ€. Mr Cobbe said: “The defendant chose to drive at that excessive speed and should have been mindful of the conditions and possibility of water on the road.â€
Perkins, of Castle Street, Maesteg, was arrested at the scene and was “clearly very distressedâ€, Mr Cobbe said. “In interview he recalled aquaplaning and recalled that it caused the car to spin. He denies realising he hit anyone until after the collision.†Perkins pleaded guilty to causing death by dangerous driving at a hearing on June 16 this year.
The court heard how the speed of Perkins’ car was sought, and an emotional victim impact statement from Mr Jeanes’ wife, Michelle, was read out. She described the devastating impact of losing her husband and the heartache of having to inform his elderly parents of his sudden death, both of whom had dementia.
Andrew Taylor, defending Perkins, highlighted his client’s remorse from the moment of the collision and the diagnosed PTSD as a result. He acknowledged the tragedy faced by both families involved and emphasised Perkins’ lack of prior criminal history or driving record.
Sentencing Perkins, judge Shomon Khan remarked on Perkins’ inappropriate driving for the weather conditions and sentenced him to five years in prison, disqualifying him from driving for five years and six months. Perkins will need to complete an extended retest if he wishes to drive again and was also ordered to pay a victim surcharge of £190.