Van driver jailed for causing head-on crash

Ales Vesely was travelling westbound on the B2089 Udimore, when he tried to overtake a car on a blind right hand bend and crashed his van head on into a family’s Ford KA coming the other way.

The 67-year-old driver of the Ford, from Seaford, suffered fractures to his chest and ribs and bruising around his heart.

A 23-year-old man who was a passenger in the Ford suffered a broken back and ribs and cuts to his head. The 19-year-old female passenger suffered cuts to the head.

Vesely escaped with whiplash and grazes to his arm.

The 46-year-old, who was filling in for a colleague who was ill, was driving a 7.5-tonne foreign-registered Renault van when he decided to overtake a Toyota Yaris on a bend at 1.25pm on February 24 and struck the Ford.

Vesely, of Dunkelska Brana, Prestejou, in the Czech Republic, pleaded guilty to causing serious injury by dangerous driving when he appeared at Lewes Crown Court. He was jailed for 13 months, banned from driving for three years and ordered to pay a £100 victim surcharge.

He was also told he would have to take an extended driving test before he would be allowed to drive again after his ban is complete.

PC Phillip Edwards said: “Vesely maintained in interview that he could see far enough ahead to try to overtake the Toyota and refused to accept that it had been dangerous to try to pass the car on a blind bend.

“If this is how he drove regularly, it is clear that he was an accident waiting to happen.

“His actions left three members of a family with serious injuries but could have cost all three their lives.”

A telegraph pole was also damaged in the collision, which took place outside Sowdens Oast. The Sussex Air Ambulance was called to the scene.

If you see someone driving antisocially call 101 or report them at www.operationcrackdown.co.uk, giving the full details of their vehicle so police can investigate. If you see someone driving dangerously call 999.