A motorist has been jailed for causing the death of a farmer riding a quad bike after momentarily taking her attention off the road to look at her mobile phone.
Ami Dronsfield, a mother of two, was travelling from her Glanton home in Northumberland to a hair appointment in Alnwick when the fatal crash occurred in November 2024. Behind the wheel of a VW Golf travelling southbound on the A697 at Whittingham, she became distracted by her mobile device, preventing her from spotting Michael Armstrong's quad bike in sufficient time. Her vehicle struck his, inflicting devastating injuries upon him.
Mr Armstrong, 58, had been travelling to visit his elderly, housebound father at the time of the incident. He was transported to the RVI in Newcastle, where medics placed him in an induced coma and kept him on life support for 11 days. His relatives maintained a vigil at his bedside and "prayed for a miracle" before ultimately facing the agonising choice to withdraw life support on medical guidance.
Phone active for seconds before crash
Dronsfield, 36, a single parent to two young children from West Turnpike in Glanton, near Alnwick, has now been imprisoned after admitting to causing death by dangerous driving. At Newcastle Crown Court, she received a custodial sentence of three years and two months.
It was reported that she had neither created, sent nor received any messages or calls during the seven seconds her phone was active. Nevertheless, the handset had been unlocked and both WhatsApp and Snapchat had been open briefly. Judge Robert Adams noted it would have been dark at the time, with the glow from the phone proving a distraction.
The court heard that Dronsfield dialled 999 and appeared to be in a state of shock following the collision. She was heard uttering "Oh my God, what if I've killed him". She subsequently tested negative for both alcohol and drugs.
Family's devastating statement
A forensic examination of her phone showed it had been active on two separate occasions, each lasting only seconds. At 4.59pm that afternoon, the device was unlocked. WhatsApp was launched by tapping its icon before being closed and the phone locked once more. The handset lit up again at 5.02pm, unlocked via pin code or facial recognition. Snapchat was briefly opened for mere seconds prior to the collision. The vehicle's emergency brake engaged just two seconds before impact.
Throughout the periods the device was active, no messages had been drafted, created, sent or received across any of the apps, and no calls had been made or taken. Judge Adams acknowledged it was "a very short period of distraction but with fatal consequences" and that there was "no question that she failed to see the quad bike during that time".
The court was presented with a devastating statement from Mr Armstrong's relatives, outlining their anguish. Addressing the court, Mrs Armstrong recalled how her husband had departed to visit his ageing father that night, remarking "I'm off, I'll see you soon". These proved to be his final words.
Upon learning of the collision, Mrs Armstrong and her son travelled to the crash location and encountered a sight that was "beyond horrific". Mrs Armstrong stated "time will never erase that horrific scene" after discovering that "in the wreckage was my beautiful husband Michael". Having spent 28 years together, she characterised him as her closest companion and soulmate.
At his hospital bedside, the family "prayed for a miracle which deep down they knew wouldn't happen". They bid farewell to Mr Armstrong on his son's 21st birthday.
Sentence passed
The court learned that Dronsfield, who had an unblemished record and had served Northumberland County Council for 17 years, expressed profound remorse for the "devastating impact my actions have had" and yearned to reverse events. In a written statement, she declared: "I'm truly ashamed and sorry beyond words" and highlighted "how quickly one mistake can have such devastating consequences." She continued: "I regret my actions more than words can express", concluding it was "a guilt I will never overcome".
Passing sentence, Judge Adams said: "Nothing I can say and no sentence that I can pass will begin to make up for the loss suffered by Michael Armstrong's family and friends. I'm well aware that the sentence is far too low but the sentence will be in accordance with the law."
Dronsfield received a prison term of three years and two months, of which she will serve 19 months behind bars before being released on licence. She was also handed a driving ban of six years and seven months.
