Hastings man suffers 'life-changing' injuries after Bexhill driver on wrong side of A21 causes head-on crash

Sussex Police said Jean Dias was driving a Land Rover that collided with a white Ford Fiesta while travelling on the wrong carriageway at Vinehall Street, near Robertsbridge.

The collision caused the driver of the Ford Fiesta, a 54-year-old man from Hastings, to suffer life-changing injuries, police added.

A Sussex Police spokesperson said: “Dias claimed there must have been a vehicle fault that caused his car to veer to the right. But an investigation found no vehicle defects.

“The most likely cause of the collision was Dias being either distracted or driving in such a careless way for it to be reckless.”

At Lewes Crown Court on April 19, Dias, aged 44, formerly a company director of Sandown Way, Bexhill, admitted causing serious injury by dangerous driving, police said.

Police added he was jailed for two years and four months, and has been disqualified from driving for five years.

The court was told how the incident happened on the A21 at about 5.15am on January 24 last year.

The police spokesperson added: “Footage showed Dias’ vehicle travelling on the wrong side of the road for at least 10 seconds leading up to the impact.

“Emergency services were called to the scene where the driver of the white Ford Fiesta was mechanically trapped.

“The victim had to be cut free from the wreckage and has suffered life-changing injuries.

“He has been unable to walk unaided since the collision and continues to struggle with simple everyday tasks, which has impacted heavily on both his and his family’s lives.”

Sergeant Vicki Rees, from the Roads Policing Unit, said: “The victim’s life has been changed immeasurably as a result of this collision.

“It illustrates the danger of not paying full attention when you’re behind the wheel.

“We may never know the full reason why Dias was on the wrong side of the road, but it was most likely a significant and prolonged lapse in concentration.

“Dias is fortunate that this collision did not lead to the death of the driver in the Ford Fiesta, or to more serious harm for himself and other road users.

“Throughout April my colleagues across the Roads Policing Unit have been carrying out additional patrols to raise awareness of the ‘fatal five’ factors which cause people to be killed or seriously injured on our roads.

“Those factors are; driving at excess or inappropriate speed, drink or drug-driving, not wearing a seatbelt, driving while distracted such as using a mobile phone, and driving in a careless, anti-social or dangerous manner as in this case.

“This case shows the devastating consequences this kind of poor driving can have, and shows our determination to fully investigate to ensure offenders are brought to justice.”