An Amazon truck driver has been jailed after crashing and overturning his vehicle on the A27.
Thousands of parcels were spilled on the carriageway between Emsworth and Chichester following the incident on October 9th, 2020.
The section had to be closed for around 12 hours following the shunt on the eastbound side at around 5.30am that day.
The driver, 63-year-old Stanislaw Polak, sustained serious head injuries in the crash and was taken to hospital for treatment, subsequently being discharged.
The road between Emsworth and Chichester was left littered with packages following the crash
Members of the public stopped to assist at the scene, and shone torches in an attempt to alert any oncoming traffic.
But the driver of a gold Renault Scenic was unable to avoid a collision; her car was written off and she was taken to hospital, but thankfully she was not seriously injured.
The crash caused significant damage to the central reservation and the road was subsequently closed in both directions to allow for the lorry to be recovered and for highways repairs to be carried out.
Polak, of Peterborough in Cambridgeshire, subsequently pleaded guilty in court to dangerous driving.
At Lewes Crown Court on Thursday (March 3rd), he was sentenced to a total of four months’ imprisonment, and disqualified from driving for 19 months.
He must also take an extended re-test should he wish to drive again.
This driver was unable to avoid the crashed lorry – she wasn’t seriously injured though
The court heard how when asked by a paramedic what happened, Polak said words to the effect of “asleep just for a second”.
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Investigating officer, PC Steve Lambeth, of the Sussex Roads Policing Unit, said:
“There was a suggestion the collision may have occurred after the driver fell asleep at the wheel. He later denied this, and claimed there was a defect with the vehicle that distracted him.
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“I would urge all motorists to ensure they have had adequate rest before getting behind the wheel. Take a break if you feel tired. If you are a professional driver, do not exceed the number of legal driver hours, and make sure your vehicle is roadworthy before you set off on your journey.”
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