Dangerous driver jailed after killing his father in a 128 mph crash on the M6 ​​| UK News

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The dangerous driver who killed an expecting father by crashing him into the back of his car at 128mph before fleeing the scene has been jailed.

John Yates, 28, was trying to pass combined roadworks traffic on the M6 ​​in Cheshire when he crashed into the back of a Christopher Smith Peugeot 107.

Smith had slowed to meet the temporary 50 mph speed limit, while Yates’ white Volkswagen Scirocco was traveling at 128 mph at the time of the accident.

Yates fled the scene, while Mr Smith, 41, of St Helens, was seriously injured and taken to Salford Royal Hospital.

Mr. Smith died in hospital the next day. His wife was heavily pregnant at the time of his death.

A 28-year-old woman from Preston and a 25-year-old passenger, who were in another car also involved in the crash, escaped with minor injuries.

On Friday, Yates, who has no fixed place of residence but is from north Wales, appeared at Chester Crown Court where he was sentenced to 11 years in prison – reduced to eight years and three months for an early admission of guilt – after admitting causing death by dangerous driving. and not provide a sample.

The court heard how the collision occurred at around 12.30am on Tuesday 15 November last year, on the M6 ​​motorway northbound between junctions 20, Lymm and 21, Thelwall.

There were temporary roadworks and a speed limit of 50 mph at the time, with all vehicles required to be integrated into the fast lane.

Despite multiple signs warning of roadworks ahead, Yates continued to travel at high speed and undertook a number of vehicles to run through traffic.

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As he approached the area where traffic was merging, Yates’ white Volkswagen Scirocco crashed into the side of a Peugeot 307 before crashing into Smith’s Peugeot 107 at high speed.

After the accident, Yates abandoned his car and fled.

Yates returned to the highway five hours later and was arrested at the scene.

After sentencing, Sergeant Simon Deigh, of the Serious and Complex Collision Investigation Unit, called Yates’ actions “cowardly”.

“Rather than stay to try to help Christopher and face the consequences of his actions, he ran away and left him for dead,” he said.

Even after he was located, he denied any involvement in the collision, and during interrogation he refused to answer any questions and refused to give breath or blood samples.

“His supposed comments to the investigators were that he puts all his trust in those investigating the collision.”

Paying tribute to Smith, Sergeant Digg said: “Christopher was a real gentleman, he left work early that day so he could spend time with his heavily pregnant wife.

“He was excited at the prospect of becoming a father and a gentleman who would never do anything wrong.

“Because of the actions Yeats took that day, Christopher will never be able to meet his child and be the loving father he could have been.”

In addition to his prison sentence, Yates was banned from driving for seven years, to begin once he was released from prison.

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