A woman has sustained “life-changing injuries” after agricultural machinery that was not safety secured on a lorry detached into the path of oncoming traffic.
Ashley Sceal was the lorry driver responsible for transporting the farm equipment on Lewes Road, Blackboys, near Uckfield.
The tractor and machinery was loaded onto a flatbed trailer, but fell off the lorry into the path of a 61-year-old woman from Heathfield who then suffered injuries from the “serious collision”.
A collision report found that Sceal’s lorry was not safe to be on the road.
At Lewes Crown Court earlier this month, the 31-year-old admitted causing serious injuries by dangerous driving.
Sceal was found to be over the drug-driving limit for benzoylecgonine, which is a cocaine body-breakdown product.
He had a level of 168 microgrammes (uhg) per litre of blood. The legal limit is 50uhg per litre of blood.
He was jailed for two years, and was disqualified from driving for three years.
‘Months of hell’
The woman said the incident caused her “months of hell” and has had a devastating impact on her physical and mental health.
The court was told how Sceal, formerly a haulier of Osborne Road, Crowborough, was driving on September 12, 2022.
At 8:00p m, the machinery he was transporting became detached and it fell into the path of an oncoming motorist, giving her no time to react.
Detective constable Dave Symonds from the Serious Collision Investigation Unit said: “All drivers of heavy goods vehicles must ensure that loads are securely attached.
“This collision was easily avoidable, but Sceal failed to meet that basic requirement. He was fortunate not to have killed the victim or anyone other road users in this case.
“It highlights the need for all drivers to be considerate of the risks and to follow safety steps to help prevent causing such devastating consequences.”
