Driver Sentenced After Fatal Motorway Crash Caused by Momentary Cigarette Search
A driver has been handed a suspended prison sentence after causing a fatal multi-vehicle collision on the M32 motorway near Bristol, admitting he was distracted while searching for a cigarette. The tragic incident occurred on August 22, 2024, resulting in the death of 68-year-old Michael Stone and leaving several others with serious injuries.
Details of the Fatal Motorway Collision
Jamie Nicholls, 48, from Otterhampton near Bridgwater, crashed his van at high speed into the rear of Michael Stone's stationary blue Peugeot on the Junction 1 exit slip road at Hambrook. The collision occurred shortly before 10am when traffic was queuing on the motorway. Avon and Somerset Police confirmed that Nicholls told officers at the scene he had "looked down for a cigarette for a second or two seconds."
By the time Nicholls looked back up at the road, he was unable to brake in time to avoid the stationary vehicle. The impact was severe enough to propel Mr Stone's Peugeot into a third car, triggering a chain reaction that ultimately involved five vehicles in total.
Devastating Consequences and Injuries
Tragically, Michael Stone from Longwell Green died at the scene of the collision. A colleague who was traveling as a passenger in Mr Stone's car sustained significant physical injuries, including seven broken ribs and a head injury. Nicholls himself and another driver involved in the pile-up also required hospital treatment following the incident.
Last month, Nicholls pleaded guilty to causing death by careless driving and causing serious injury by careless driving. He appeared at Bristol Crown Court where he received his sentence.
Court Sentencing and Penalties
On Thursday, Nicholls was sentenced to 14 months in prison suspended for 18 months. The court also imposed a 12-month disqualification from driving, subject to an extended retest requirement. Additional penalties included a 60-day curfew, 10 days of rehabilitation activities, a victim surcharge, and court costs.
Heartbreaking Victim Impact Statement
In a prepared statement for the court, Penny Stone, Michael's wife of 40 years, described the devastating impact of her husband's death. She expressed her assumption that they "would have many more years to make memories together" and detailed the significant family occasions they have missed, including the birth of their first grandchild and planned "bucket list" holidays.
"Mike was the foundation on which our family was built," Mrs Stone told the court. "When we gather around the table now there is an empty space where he should be sat, head of the family. You knew you were safe when Mike was around and everything would be alright."
She described the pain of informing one of their two daughters about the tragedy while she was in America on her honeymoon. Mrs Stone added: "I have lost my husband, my best friend, the father of my children, my rock. My heart is truly broken, and I miss him so much it physically hurts. All I have left of him are my memories and that shouldn't be."
Addressing Nicholls directly, she stated: "The actions you took on that day when you got in your van have changed everyone in our families lives forever. But more importantly, Mike was denied the right to live his life because of you."
Police Warning About Distracted Driving
Noelie Poupard, the officer in the case, emphasized the dangers of distracted driving: "This was a collision caused by Nicholls' failure to concentrate on the road ahead of him. A motorist looking away from the road, even for a second, will cover quite a significant distance when they are travelling 70mph and the consequences can be horrendous, as this case painfully demonstrates."
Poupard added: "Poor concentration at the wheel is one of the fatal five reasons behind collisions and it is entirely avoidable. Our thoughts and sympathies go out to Michael Stone's devastated family. It's impossible not to be moved by Penny's heartbreaking words. We sincerely hope drivers take onboard her comments and understand the importance of driving safely, because doing so will help to prevent other families suffering the same heartache."
The case serves as a stark reminder of how momentary distractions behind the wheel can lead to catastrophic consequences, permanently altering multiple lives in an instant.
