Chaddesden woman drank vodka before killing couple in crash

A driver from Derby who killed an elderly couple in a horror smash just yards from her Chaddesden home had been drinking vodka before choosing to get behind the wheel of her car. Derby Crown Court heard how Jane Hunter-Priestley’s Mondeo “came out of nowhere” onto Nottingham Road from Highfield Lane and struck the side of a Jaguar being driven by William Line whose wife Christine was in the front passenger seat.

Both victims, who were in their 80s and who had been together for 60 years, were killed from the injuries they sustained. A blood test taken more than four hours after the collision showed the 63-year-old defendant, of Chaddesden, was over the drink-drive limit, was on her way to a doctor’s appointment and told police she “may have hit the accelerator rather than the brake” when she caused the double death crash at 39mph in a 30mph limit.

And David Line, the only son of the victims, bravely stood and read his own impact statement to the court in which he told the defendant: “You are a drink-driver, the lowest of the low. I will never forgive you.”

Sending her to prison for eight years, Judge Jonathan Straw said the defendant was experiencing marriage problems in the lead-up to the crash: “ (You) began drinking to excess and having drunk vodka at home decided to get into a car and drive on a public road when a whole host of alternatives were available to you.

“You took comfort in the bottle and you were so intoxicated you were incapable of exercising any real control of your vehicle. As a consequence of your decision to drive, William and Christine were killed and many other lives, including your own, have been indelibly affected.”

Stefan Fox, prosecuting, said officers were called to reports of a collision just after 2pm on Tuesday, June 13, 2023. He said Mr and Mrs Line had been to a garden centre and were on their way home, sitting in stationary traffic, when their Jaguar was hit from the side by Hunter-Priestley’s Ford.

The prosecutor said: “Witnesses said the car ‘came out of nowhere’ and ‘shooting out of the road’. A member of the public went to a police community support officer (at the scene), grabbed her arm and told her there were people in the Jaguar.

“Mrs Line was declared dead at the scene and Mr Line was declared dead on arrival at hospital after being airlifted there. The defendant also suffered a fracture to her chest from a seat belt injury and a blood test carried out revealed she had 90 micrograms of alcohol in 100 millilitres of blood when the legal limit is 80.

“Even four hours after the collision she was over the legal limit. The crown says a combination of the alcohol she had drunk combined with any medication she was on was a significant contributing factor.”

Hunter-Priestley, of Highfield Lane, pleaded guilty to two counts of causing the deaths of Mr and Mrs Line, who lived in Vere Close, Willington, through dangerous driving. She has no previous convictions and has held a clean licence since 1985.

'She can’t forgive herself for what happened'

In his victim impact statement, David Line said: “My father was born in 1941 in Highfield Cottages, Highfield Lane. How ironic is it that he died in the very street where he was born? Jane Hunter-Priestley, you are a drink-driver, the lowest of the low. You can’t imagine the pain you caused.

“You took my parent’s lives and you ruined mine. You will carry on with your life but I will never forget how you killed my beautiful parents and I will never forgive you.”

Justin Ablott, mitigating, said his client “would like to express the profound horror of what she has done”. He said: “What Mrs Hunter-Priestley knows is that what will follow today will be a substantial prison sentence. She can’t forgive herself for what happened.”

As well as the jail term, the judge disqualified Hunter-Priestley from driving for 15 years.