Judge slams drunk BMW driver who ran down cyclist in Wiltshire

AN UNDERTAKER who crashed his powerful BMW into a cyclist had drunk up to eight pints of lager before getting behind the wheel.

Father-of-two Anthony Adams, 47, was doing an estimated 70mph to 90mph on the A350 near Westbury before he hit the male cyclist, who was on his way home from riding to the Westbury White Horse.

Jailing Adams for two years and 10 months at Swindon Crown Court on Tuesday morning, Judge Jason Taylor QC told him: “You were, frankly, an accident waiting to happen that day – and the cyclist was the victim.
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“He was waiting at a junction, waiting to turn out onto the main road, in fact it was the road you live on. He was wearing reflective clothing and his back was lit. He was there to be seen.

“As he waited he was confronted with what must be a cyclist’s worst nightmare. He became aware of your [car] coming round the corner far too fast, leaving him no effective means of escape.

“He at one point thought the car was going to go into the bushes but then recalls seeing the car swerve toward him, no doubt as you either panicked, lost control or both.�

Prosecutor David Scutt earlier told the court Adams’ victim, a sales rep from Trowbridge with a side-line selling bike parts, had left home on the afternoon of November 17, 2019, to cycle to the Westbury White Horse. He was wearing reflective clothing and was using bike lights.

He was on the return journey home when he stopped at the junction of the A350 and Coach Road, waiting to pull out onto the A-road. Mr Scutt said of the victim: “He became aware of a vehicle engine either revving or gunning and he saw headlights coming around the bend.�

Adams’ car, a four litre BMW M5, came round the bend and the cyclist feared it would crash into the bushes. The vehicle swerved towards him; he remembered seeing the front seat passenger being thrown around inside the car.

The cyclist was struck by the vehicle. When he came round he was surrounded by emergency crews. His lower leg and knee had been shattered by the force of the crash, with surgery required to fix a metal rod into his leg. Skin grafts were taken from his other leg and he was left with extensive scarring. In a victim personal statement read to the court, the man said: “I now consider myself lucky to have escaped this crash with my life.� It took him months to return to work and get back on his bicycle, he said.

Other drivers on the A350 had noted Adams’ poor driving before the crash. He had attempted to overtake one car in spite of oncoming traffic and was estimated to have been driving at up to 90mph. One witness said he thought the man driving the BMW was “either an idiot or drunk�.

The BMW ended up in a hedgerow, with Adams able to walk from the car. The police officers who arrested Adams at the scene said he appeared highly intoxicated. He told officers: “I’m sorry, I f***ed up.� He blew 130mgs at the roadside – three times the legal limit – and samples of 120 and 113 when he was taken into custody.
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Interviewed, he admitted the crash was his fault and said he had drunk seven to eight pints of lager earlier that day while out with family. He later denied driving erratically, but maintained the crash was his fault. He was remorseful and said he hoped the cyclist would make a full recovery.

Mitigation

Adams, of Coach Road, Westbury, pleaded guilty to causing serious injury by dangerous driving and drink driving.

Tony Bignall, defending, said his client was genuinely remorseful and wished to apologise to his victim. Although he had a previous conviction for drink driving it dated back to 1996.

The undertaker, who had two teenage children, was well-regarded both professionally and personally. A number of character references had been submitted on his behalf. His two children would be cared for by his mother if he were sent to prison.

Judge Taylor described the offending as the result of drink and bravado. He said: “You were drunk and you’d been showing off your powerful car to your friends. You even ignored them, such was your arrogance, when they told you to slow down.�

Adams was banned from driving for three years, with a 17 month extension period. He must pass an extended retest if he wishes to drive again.

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