Drug driver caused biker’s life-changing injury in Winwick Lane crash

Craig Pryor has been locked up by the courts after changing his pleas to guilty at the last minute before his trial was due to start.

Liverpool Crown Court heard how Pryor was driving his grey Mercedes C350 erratically at around 9.20pm on Friday, May 26, last year.

This caused the horrific incident on Winwick Lane, near to junction 22 of the M6 near Croft.

The 46-year-old defendant had gone to overtake the vehicle in front of him when he collided with a black Yamaha motorcycle travelling in the opposite direction.

The motorcyclist, a 42-year-old man from Woolston, suffered life-changing injuries including the loss of an arm.

The extent of the victim’s injuries has left the motorcyclist still receiving treatment more than 18 months after the collision, and he could yet lose his leg, it is believed.

The road was closed for a number of hours while emergency services attended the scene.

Cheshire Police also launched a public appeal for information over the incident, with officers appealing for anyone who may have witnessed the collision to come forward.

Following roadside tests, Pryor was found to have delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol and benzoylecgonine, the by-products of cocaine and cannabis use, in his system.

The crash occurred on Winwick Lane near Croft. Picture: Google Maps

He was subsequently charged with two counts of drug driving and one of causing serious injury by dangerous driving.

The defendant initially pleaded not guilty to the offences, but he changed his plea to guilty just before his trial was due to begin.

Pryor, of Robinson Road in Ellesmere Port, was later sentenced to four years in prison and disqualified from driving for six years.

He must also pass an extended driving test before getting behind the wheel again.

The sentence was welcomed by inspector Steve Griffiths, of Cheshire Police, who said: “When you get behind the wheel of a vehicle, you are in control of a powerful machine, easily capable of causing serious injury or even death.

“Pryor completely ignored this, not abiding by the rules of the road or considering the safety of others, ultimately colliding with a vulnerable road user who had been travelling on the same stretch of road.

“The victim has suffered tremendously, both psychologically and physically, as a result of Pryor’s reckless choices.

“I welcome the sentence handed to Pryor, and I hope he truly considers how his actions have permanently changed the victim’s life.

“I also hope this case can serve as a reminder of the long-lasting impact of dangerous driving, deterring others from the same fate.”